The Ryoka and the Taichou
by Open Casket Ceremony
Summary: When Ichigo broke into the Seireitei to rescue Rukia, he never thought that HE would ended up being rescued as well...By the cold-hearted captain of the tenth division. Now it's his turn to return the favor. IchiHitsu, KusaHitsu references. T for violence
1. Blue and White Porcelain

Author's Note: Whoo, another new fanfic, _The Taichou and the Ryoka!_ This is set during the Soul Society arc, and like _Smile_, there'll be a lot of action, adventure, and plot twists! And IchiHitsu, of course...Ooh la la. Hitsugaya will be a tad OOC. I'm making him a lot meaner and stricter...and crueler and Mayuri-ish than he is in the original series.

More Bleach business; I'm pissed off about the new filler arc that's starting next week. Dammit. And who agrees with me that as a child, Byakuya was simply adorable?

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. If I did, Orihime could stay in Hueco Mundo forever for all I care. That bitch. Flirting shamelessly with Ichigo, knowing full well that his heart belongs to Hitsugaya...Harhar.

* * *

"Reporting in! One of the ryoka has been spotted in the region of the eleventh division barracks. He will arrive in the domain of the tenth division within ten minutes at his current speed of movement!"

"Which one?"

"Well, er...the one..."

With a small scoff, Hitsugaya Toshiro looked coldly at his subordinate who knelt on the floor before him, his steely teal eyes boring holes into the hapless shinigami's soul. Brushing a stray lock of silvery-white hair from his face, he impatiently went on.

"There were five of them, and a cat. If you can't describe the ryoka to me, then you are much stupider than you look."

"The orange-haired one, sir..." the poor shinigami answered in a frightened voice, noting that the temperature was starting to drop as his captain's temper worsened.

"There are two orange-haired ryoka," Hitsugaya snapped. "Don't tell me that you can't tell the difference between a male and a female."

"It was a male, sir!"

Hitsugaya blinked.

"Very well. You are excused."

"Hai, taichou!" With a salute, the subordinate scurried off.

"Orange-haired male..." Hitsugaya murmured to himself. "Then he must be the one who took out Madarame, Abarai, Zaraki, _and_ Kuchiki...Those idiots. They must have let their guards down, or something like that..."

He stood from his seat behind the large oak desk, straightening a stack of paperwork as he did so. He then reached to a katana resting on the table, in its sheath with a deeply-colored green sash wound around it. He picked it up, slinging the sash over his shoulder.

"…Most likely, they underestimated him," he continued, speaking to himself, "Even so, he must be much stronger than the sotaichou had anticipated."

He stepped forward, crossing the room towards the doors. If this so-called "ryoka" was going to set foot on his division's property, than so be it. He would regret it, and in exchange for his stupidity, he would have to deal with the captain of the tenth division himself.

As Hitsugaya approached the door, he passed a small photograph that had been neatly taped to the wall, a photograph immortalizing the image of a certain shinigami that had already been dead for years. He glanced at it for a moment before moving on.

"Wish me luck…Kusaka."

* * *

After what seemed like hours of running, Kurosaki Ichigo was exhausted.

He had no freaking idea where Ganju, Ishida, Orihime, or Chad were, or even little Hanataro, for that matter. He had lost sight and track of them all alone, and he was constantly wondering if all of them were alright.

He had been focusing on the tower that supposedly held Rukia, every dead end succeeding only in frustrating him more and more. He had no idea where the hell he was or which way he was supposed to go now, though a few minutes before, he had passed the kanji character for the number ten painted on the wall, so he knew he had made some progress since he had left the eleventh division grounds.

"You there! Freeze!"

Glancing to his left, much to his dismay, Ichigo discovered that there were several shinigami running towards him, their swords drawn. Judging on their reiatsu, Ichigo assumed none of them were terribly strong and they would be no trouble at all.

He swung his sword downwards, emitting a burst of spiritual energy. This was all it took to take down half of the shinigami that were charging towards him.

Another struck at his right, and he blocked the blow easily with Zangetsu, knocking his opponent off balance with a sweep of the leg, dispatching another pair in the process.

One more left.

He thrust Zangetsu into the remaining opponent's stomach, jerking the blade free as droplets of blood splattered to the ground. Blood dripping from his lips, the shinigami crumpled to the floor.

"Whew," the strawberry murmured. "That was quite a workout…"

The shinigami he had just stabbed, who was not quite yet dead, reached out, grabbing the hem of his hakama before he could walk away, a smile of glee on his blood-stained face as he wheezed out in a brief moment of cracked laughter.

"What?" Ichigo demanded, trying to pull loose. "What's so funny?"

"You may have defeated us…" the man choked out, still smiling ear to ear as if he had just told an insanely funny joke, "…But you won't…leave the tenth division alive…"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're no match for the taichou!" the shinigami shrieked delightedly, his grip tightening on the fabric of Ichigo's garments. "The taichou…He'll…He'll avenge us…You just wait and see…You'll wish you were never born…"

"You…"

"He's gonna…Rip of your stupid face…Slit your throat and watch you beg pitifully for mercy…Paint the ground in your blood…"

"Oh, come on! You're making him sound like an axe murderer or something. Let go of my hakama!"

"A murderer?" the shinigami repeated. The insane grin only widened further as his cackling increased. "Oh, no…The taichou ain't even human…He's a monster…"

"What do you mean?"

"Heh-heh…You'll find out soon enough…"

Ichigo couldn't help but wonder if it was just his imagination, or was the temperature dropping rapidly? No. He wasn't dreaming. In fact, a thin layer of ice had begun to crystallize over the bloodstained floor. His chocolate eyes widened. Right after he had noticed the ground beginning to freeze over, he realized why. It was being caused by a reiatsu, a terrifying, crushing power that seemed to be freezing his blood in his veins, clutching at his heart with its icy fingers.

"Here he comes…" the shinigami rasped in glee, his grip on Ichigo's hakama loosening. "The juuban tai taichou…H-Hitsugaya…Hitsugaya Toshiro-sama…"

No sooner had the shinigami spoke these words, Ichigo looked up just in time to see a figure appear, its silhouette blurred by the icy mist that had been brought about by its reiatsu.

A bead of sweat trickled down Ichigo's forehead. He wasn't sure what to expect: Some huge man with a sadistic smile to rival Kenpachi's? A third arm? Claws, maybe?

The shinigami finally relinquished hold in his hakama, his arms dropping limply to the floor.

Ichigo swallowed hard as the approaching captain of the tenth division stepped from the mist, his full figure coming into view.

What Ichigo saw shocked him.

He was startlingly young, with tufted locks of hair the color of snow and large, piercing emerald eyes that seemed to be drilling icy holes into the depths of his soul. He had a light complexion with silkily smooth skin and a slender figure, the white obi holding his kimono together at his slim waist.

"He…He's only a kid…"

There had to be some kind of mistake. But, with his heart sinking, Ichigo realized this was no misunderstanding. The stark white haori that rested over the boy's shoulder distinctly identified him as the captain of the tenth division.

Ichigo lifted Zangetsu, ready to fight.

But he found it extremely hard to. Despite everything, he found himself not wanting to hurt the young boy. After all, he looked so innocent and delicate, like an exquisite china doll that would shatter into pieces just with a single touch.

Finally, Hitsugaya spoke.

"You are Kurosaki Ichigo, correct?"

His voice was so cold that Ichigo almost shivered. He did nothing but merely nod.

_How did he know my name?_

"And, I'm assuming it was you who did this to my subordinates?"

"Hai, Hitsugaya-taichou!" the shinigami that had been clutching at Ichigo's hakama moments before spluttered, weakly trying to crawl to his captain, groveling on the floor at his feet. "It was…It was the boy…He did this to us…Avenge us, taichou, please…Kill him…Spill his blood…"

"Silence."

"…K-Kill him…please…"

"I told you to be quiet!" Hitsugaya hissed. He unsheathed his katana, slamming it into his subordinate's body in a single, quick movement.

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as blood spurted every which way. The shinigami shrieked in pain, and yet, Hitsugaya looked completely unfazed, his icy teal eyes cold as ever as he pulled the blade from his subordinate's stomach. He didn't even bat his dark lashes at the sickening sound of his blade tearing through flesh or his subordinate's pitiful, choked scream.

"T-Taichou…Wh…What are you doing…?" the shinigami choked out, blood dripping from his mouth. "Please…Please heal me…With your powers, Hitsugaya-sama…these injuries are nothing…"

"I don't understand why it is so difficult for you to follow my orders."

In another flash of steel, Hitsugaya drew the blade across the shinigami's throat. Blood spurted into the air, splattering onto the floor as the shinigami pitched forward, dead.

Ichigo swallowed, a small pang of fear gnawing at the back of his mind. How could this _kid_ kill his own subordinates so confidently and so heartlessly, as if he was doing nothing more than swatting an annoying fly? He hadn't even hesitated.

"Now then, Kurosaki Ichigo..." the captain of the tenth division spoke, lifting his eyes to meet the strawberry's stunned gaze, "...Shall we begin?"

* * *

Author's Note: Whoo, first chapter is up. I know Hitsugaya is extremely OOC and really scary...But there is a purpose for that, so don't be all, "WTF HOW COULD YOU MAKE HITSU A KILLING MACHINE." I warned you in the firsy Author's Note! You'll just have to wait and see...Anyways, yay or nay?


	2. Fearless

Author's Note: Wow, seven reviews already! Yay! This makes me very happy! So here you guys go! Here's some more evil-Hitsugaya-ness.

* * *

"First of all," Hitsugaya spoke, staring directly into Ichigo's fearful eyes with his own cold, icy teal irises, "I'd like to ask you a question. Why are you here?"

Ichigo couldn't move. He wanted to turn and run, because he knew that fighting would only waste even more of the little time he had to get to Rukia. He felt like Hitsugaya's gaze was transfixing him to the spot, freezing him to the ground effortlessly. His body refused to obey his commands, and he could barely even breathe through the smothering reiatsu that bore with it a horrible tinge of death and ice.

"I asked you a question."

"I-Isn't it obvious!?" Ichigo spluttered. "I'm going to save Rukia!"

Hitsugaya continued to survey him with the usual arctic glare. "Save her? Kuchiki Rukia is a criminal. If she is to be executed for her crimes, then that's that. If I'm not mistaken, it's _your_ fault she was sentenced to death, anyways. It shouldn't make a difference to you whether she lives or dies."

"It does make a difference!" Ichigo retorted. "I owe her! I owe her for saving my family and me when she didn't even know who we were, and…"

"Kurosaki Ichigo. I will tell you this only once."

"What are you…"

"Give up."

Ichigo swallowed again. The boy had only spoken two words, but yet, they were filled with such icy venom that he felt like his heart was being seared open by a blade made out of ice, freezing him to the core.

"Why should I?" he demanded, trying to sound confident and unafraid, but his sweaty, clammy palms and his breathing rate were all failing him.

"I know what happens when you try to interfere with the laws of Soul Society," Hitsugaya murmured. "In the end, it all amounts to nothing. Bloodshed, the death of those dearest to you, your own failure…That is all you will receive."

"Look," Ichigo snapped, "You can't just go making assumptions like that. Who knows what'll happen until I've tried?"

"I can make whatever assumptions I damn well please to," he answered, relinquishing his gaze on Ichigo, instead flickering his eyes downwards. "I know what happens from experience. I was once foolish enough to try to defy the authorities of Soul Society. I ended up losing everything…My free will, my dignity, and…and someone who was extremely important to me."

"What happened?"

"It's none of your business. I will ask you one more time to lay down your sword and give up."

"Toshiro, you said your name was?"

"_Hitsugaya-taichou_. Do not address me by my given name, ryoka."

Ichigo completely ignored him.

"Toshiro," he continued, "I don't know what the deal with you is, but I can't just 'give up' after I've come so far. I'm going to save Rukia, whether you like it or not."

"Very well, then," Hitsugaya answered, looking back up, his hand now on the hilt of his katana.

"You leave me no choice, Kurosaki Ichigo. I'll force you to give up, even if I have to kill you to do it."

The temperature was still dropping, and Ichigo knew that he meant business. Hitsugaya Toshiro looked innocent enough, save those eerily cold eyes, but looks were deceiving. If he had just killed his own subordinate without regret, then there was no way he was simply going to let him off. Not only that, but Ichigo had to admit he was reluctant to attack such a young shinigami. Why, he seemed like he had only just passed the stage that would be considered childhood. A slender figure all over, such a delicate-looking face, and such an innocently small stature. It felt wrong to fight him, even though he knew perfectly well that, although young, the captain of the tenth division was far from being a helpless child. His mind had been cleared of all childlike innocence, and if one says that the eyes are the window to one's soul, then Ichigo was convinced that his heart was made out of solid ice as well, leaving only an empty husk with wide, cold eyes.

He was little more than a soulless, pretty little doll at Soul Society's disposal.

"Fine," Ichigo answered, his grip around Zangetsu tightening in such a fashion that his knuckles had turned a pasty white. "Fine, then. If you want to fight, then I'll fight."

He barely had time to speak these words as Hitsugaya suddenly disappeared, reappearing at his right side. Alarmed, the strawberry instantly forced himself to move his arm upwards, blocking the blow directed at his head with Zangetsu, appalled by the boy's speed.

The blade to the white-haired boy's katana was long and slender in comparison to the broad blade of Zangetsu, and even so, the impact had nearly knocked all the wind out of Ichigo. At any rate, it had sent him off balance, and the next thing he knew, he was face-down on the cold floor.

"What's the matter, ryoka? Is that all you've got?"

"Shut up," Ichigo growled. He hadn't wanted to resort to actually fighting back, but he had to shake off his hesitation to attack, otherwise _he_ would be the one ending up dead. He sprang back to his feet, trying to put some distance between them.

"Bankai!" he shouted, holding Zangetsu parallel to the ground, clutching onto it for dear life as he felt the familiar rush of reiatsu surging through his body, Zangetsu slimming and compacting into a more mobile katana in his hand.

As soon as he was sure that his bankai initiation had been completed, he wasted no time in lunging at the white-haired boy.

His attack was easily parried, and yet again, Ichigo found himself being knocked back a good few yards. By now, there was a thin line of blood trailing down the side of his face, and he was blinking hard to keep it from running into his eyes.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" He swung his katana downwards, hard, sending a sharp burst of darkly-colored energy towards his opponent with all his strength.

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed, but he stood his ground, not seeming the least bit surprised by Ichigo's sudden counter-attack.

"Soten ni zase…"

Ichigo's eyes widened.

_Shit_.

He was releasing his shikai. Without it, he was already an exceptionally skilled fighter, and who knows what kind of a scary zanpaku-to he would have.

"…Hyorinmaru."

At these words, ice began to swirl around Hitsugaya's blade, condensing into a monstrous dragon with blood-red eyes and breath reeking of death and frostbite.

"What the hell…"

With a single swing of the sword, Hitsugaya sent the dragon directly at the burst of reiatsu that Ichigo had just released, its jaws opening wide as it swallowed the attack whole, reducing it to nothing before dissolving into icy dust.

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"No…"

The next second later, Hitsugaya disappeared again, this time, reappearing directly in front of him. There was no time to try to counter the blow; he would have to try to dodge it.

But he found that he couldn't move.

Eyes wide with shock, Ichigo looked downwards. His feet were encased in ice, sealing him to the floor so that he couldn't even run away. Before he could comprehend, he felt a searing pain in his chest, hot blood splattering onto his face and hands.

His eyes widened again as he watched his blood dripping from the end of Hitsugaya's katana, and to his horror, he could see a thin layer of ice beginning to form over his wound. Was he about to be frozen inside-out?

"I'll give you one last chance, Kurosaki Ichigo," Hitsugaya spoke, lowering his katana as he observed Ichigo's shocked and pained expression without the slightest sense of sympathy. "Will you give up now?"

The strawberry choked, expelling blood onto the icy floor.

"Never."

Hitsugaya blinked, seeming somewhat surprised at this response. Then, with a soft scoff, he regained composure. "I see. What a pity."

He slammed his blade into Ichigo's stomach, the katana slicing clearly through his midsection easily like a knife going through butter. Blood, pain, more blood, and more pain.

The last thing Ichigo remembered before everything went black was himself staring hatefully into Hitsugaya's eyes, which were, much to his surprise and confusion, no longer cold.

Instead, they were filled with a heart-wrenching sadness.


	3. White Windmill

Author's Note: Whoo, Chapter three! I'm happy I already have quite a few reviews, just for two chapters...And, just to recap, this is set during the Soul Society arc, though the chronological order of the events as they happened in the actual series will be skewed to make things easier. So don't complain to me saying that the timeline is all messed up, because _I know_.

And yes, to those who have already caught on...All the titles of the chapters are named after Jay Chou songs.

* * *

"Taichou!"

"Taichou, is everything okay?"

"What happened, taichou!?"

As Hitsugaya watched Ichigo crumple to the floor in a messy heap, he turned to see a group of his subordinates running towards the scene.

"Taichou," one of them inquired, "What about the ryoka?"

"What does it look like?" Hitsugaya demanded icily, resheathing Hyorinmaru and gesturing to Ichigo's unconscious form on the bloodstained floor. "I defeated him. That's all there is to it."

"I…I understand, taichou. Then there is no need for the rest of us to be here. We'll return to the barracks now, if you so permit us to…"

"Wait," Hitsugaya ordered. "I want all of you to take this ryoka to my office. Take care that you do not hurt him in the process."

"Huh?"

"Are you hard of hearing?"

"No, sir, I just…"

"Well, then what are you waiting for?"

"B-But taichou," the shinigami protested, "Why? What are you…?"

"I'm going to heal him," Hitsugaya answered firmly.

"But, taichou! The penalty for helping a dangerous ryoka…Is death!"

"I'm perfectly aware of that," Hitsugaya murmured quietly. "And if that is the case, I will take full responsibility for my actions. Now, go."

"Yes, sir…"

Hitsugaya watched in silence as his subordinates scrambled to carry out his orders, gathering in a group around the unconscious Ichigo and lifting him up before hurrying off towards the tenth division office. As Hitsugaya continued to watch their retreating backs, he glanced at Ichigo's motionless form.

"He's just like you…Kusaka."

* * *

Ichigo opened his eyes, wincing in pain as he stared upwards at his blurred surroundings.

"Am I dead?" he groaned to himself, a deep pain registering in his lower body.

He realized that he wasn't dead soon enough. In fact, he seemed to be lying on some kind of couch of sorts, and as he struggled to sit up, he was startled to find himself sitting in a neat office.

"Huh!?" he spluttered. "Where's my kimono!?"

He was dressed only in his hakama, the complete lack of garments on his upper body showing the layers of bandages wound around his chest and stomach.

"Relax," a voice from somewhere nearby snapped in an impatient tone, "I'm fixing it for you."

"Huh?" Ichigo turned around, recognizing the voice. As he expected, it had belonged to no other than Hitsugaya Toshiro, who was seated on a chair that had been pulled up next to the couch he had woken up to find himself on. The boy had Ichigo's tattered kimono in his lap, and in his dainty fingers he held a sewing needle, which darted in and out of the cloth as he mended the torn areas with mechanical speed.

Ichigo watched in mute fascination as Hitsugaya finished up, knotting the thread neatly and holding the repaired kimono up to survey his work.

"There," he said, handing the garment to Ichigo. "I suppose that will do. I took the liberty of mending it for you, since I tore it so badly during our fight with my katana."

"O-Oh…Thanks, I guess," Ichigo answered as he put the kimono back on over the bandages, pulling his obi tightly around his waist. "And these…" he began, wondering if the bandages had been his doing as well. However, Hitsugaya seemed to read his mind, so finishing the question was unnecessary.

"You were badly wounded, so I healed your injuries and bandaged you up as well. I hope you don't mind," he answered as-a-matter-of-factly, acting as if it were no big deal. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I suppose, but…But why?" Ichigo asked, confused. "Why are you helping me?" Not too long ago, he had been trying to kill him, and now, he was healing him? He didn't understand. It simply didn't make sense. What the heck was Hitsugaya thinking?

"Because I can," he replied simply, averting his gaze while standing up and moving towards his desk. "Now, if you please, I have paperwork to finish. You're free to leave as soon as you are fully recovered."

At these words, Ichigo promptly stood up, but stopped as his eyes met Hitsugaya's. Again, he felt like he was being hypnotized by his piercing green eyes. He couldn't tear his gaze away, and he couldn't move.

"I said, _after you are fully recovered_," Hitsugaya repeated in a dangerous tone. "Are you hard on hearing, or are you simply stupid?"

"Just tell me why, Toshiro…"

"_Hitsugaya-taichou_."

"Right, right, whatever. Tell me why you're helping me. I mean, you know…"

"It's nothing," Hitsugaya answered without looking up from his paperwork. "I did it because I felt like it."

"Tell me the truth."

"You're in no position to ask me for the truth."

"Just answer me!" Ichigo shot back, his voice a near yell as he reached forward and grabbed Hitsugaya by the shoulders, startling the boy. "I'm your enemy, aren't I? You said so yourself! Why are you helping me!?" He was staring the young captain down, looking directly into the icy depths of his aquamarine eyes, trying with all his willpower to show Hitsugaya Toshiro that he was _not_ afraid of him anymore. He was glaring into those frozen oceans, fighting his way past the layers of ice to uncover the frightened, frantic child underneath, who was sick of killing, sick of having to hide behind the ice, and simply sick of being someone who he wasn't.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened in slight surprise as he tried desperately to fight off Ichigo's gaze, struggling to stop him from melting the ice in his own eyes. It wasn't working. He felt as if the ryoka was tearing him open, reaching deep down inside of him and trying to reach his soul the warm, terribly warm hands of his own.

"B-Because you…"

At that moment, the office doors burst open, and in flounced a woman with long, waist-length strawberry blonde hair and a pink scarf thrown casually over her shoulders.

"Taichou!" she called out in a sing-song voice, "I heard you went out all on your own to fight a ryoka! Are you done so soon…?"

Her voice trailed off as she caught site of Ichigo grasping Hitsugaya's shoulders with an almost murderous glint in his eye. She let out a small squeak of terror, before her hand flew to her katana.

"Don't touch taichou, you fiend!" she shrieked, unsheathing the blade from its position at her waist. "Unare, Hai-"

"That's enough, Matsumoto!"

The woman froze before the shikai command could be uttered at its entirety. She looked at her captain uncertainly, unsure if it was okay to just let this ryoka continue to scream in his face and shake him around by his shoulders.

"Sheath your zanpaku-to," Hitsugaya ordered, and reluctantly, she did.

"Taichou, what's going on? Isn't that a ryoka?"

The teal-eyed captain nodded. "He'll be staying here until his injuries are healed." With a snort of irritation, he pushed Ichigo's hands off of his shoulders, adding icily, "Take care not to touch me again, unless you actually _do_ want to lose those hands of yours."

"Y-Yeah…Sorry," Ichigo muttered, feeling somewhat ashamed. He then turned to the woman who had entered moments before, who was staring at him as if he had worms coming out of his nose.

"Erm…I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Pleased to meet you," he offered lamely.

There was a pause.

"Well, Ichigo-kun," she answered with a congenial smile, "It's nice to meet you, too. My name's Matsumoto Rangiku. I'm the fukutaichou of the tenth division under taichou here! And you _do_ know that my eyes are up _here_…right?"

"What!? I wasn't looking there!"

At this, Matsumoto began to giggle insanely. "It works every time!"

"Matsumoto," Hitsugaya spoke, standing up. "There is a captain's meeting taking place in a few minutes, and I must leave now. I will be leaving him in your care until I return."

"Hai, taichou!"

"And please, Matsumoto…Kurosaki…Please don't do anything _stupid_. I'm sure neither of you want to find out what will happen to both of you if I am to discover any irrational behavior, correct?"

"R-Right," Ichigo gulped, feeling the temperature in the room drop dangerously.

"And even more so if you tell _anyone_ that I am housing a ryoka in my office."

"Hai, taichou!" Matsumoto chirped cheerfully. Apparently, by now, she was used to her captain's cold reiatsu and equally chilly tone of voice.

As Hitsugaya disappeared out the door, Matsumoto instantly plopped herself down on the couch, next to Ichigo, reaching under the cushions and producing several bottles of sake, which she gleefully lined up on the table by the couch.

"Care for some?" she offered as soon as she was sure her taichou was out of earshot.

"Nah, I don't drink alcohol."

"You wuss," Matsumoto scoffed, popping a bottle of the liquid open and taking a sip. "Fine by me, though. Just don't start begging for some later."

"I won't do that."

There was a silence as Matsumoto took another drink. "Well," she began, "Since taichou obviously wants me to be your babysitter for a couple of hours or so, I s'pose we're gonna be bored for quite some time."

"Um, okay?"

"We need to get in some conversation, Ichigo-kun, otherwise this is gonna drag."

"I dunno what to talk about," Ichigo mumbled.

"Well…" Matsumoto answered with a mischevious grin as she set down her sake and stared intently at Ichigo. "…You can start by telling me why you were staring at taichou with that dreamy expression on your face."

"_WHAT!?"_


	4. Hair Like Snow

Author's Note: In this fic, there are some KusaHitsu references, though I'm not actually bringin' him back to life this time. However, their relationship and how Kusaka died will not be the same as my other fics or as it was in the movie because I don't want things to get repetitive with my stories, so this time, there's a new and different story behind Kusaka and Hitsugaya!

And yes. There _is_ actually a song by Jay Chou called "Hair Like Snow." It instantly reminded me of Hitsu.

* * *

"C-Come on!" Ichigo spluttered, staring at Matsumoto, horrorstruck. "I was _not_ staring 'dreamily' at your captain! Why the hell would I do that!? I mean, staring is rude! It's a _big_ no-no! I don't stare at people, period, and I certainly don't stare at Toshiro or whatever his name is…I mean, who cares what his name is!? I know _I_ don't…and, well, the point is…I don't stare! 'Cause it's rude! And…And, you know…"

"Oh, stop blabbering," Matsumoto snickered. "Admit it, Ichigo-kun!"

"Admit what!? I've got nothing to admit!"

"Admit that you _like_ taichou!"

Ichigo's face instantly flushed a deep crimson that rivaled the ripest strawberry as he began to stammer again. "Wh-What're you talking about!? I do _not_ like him!"

"Oh, shut up!" Matsumoto shrieked delightedly. "You're blushing! Oh my _god_, you _do_ like him! See! You're blushing, you're blushing, you're blushing! How cute! Now, isn't that just precious!?"

"I'm telling you, I…"

"It's okay," she snickered, "I understand if you're shy. At least admit that you think he's pretty."

"No! He is _not_ pretty! He looks like a shrunken old man!"

"Liar!" she giggled, "You are _so_ lying!"

"Fine!" Ichigo snapped, "Fine! I think he's pretty! Are you happy now!?"

"That's all?"

"Yes! That's all, Rangiku-san!"

Matsumoto frowned. "Nothing else? You don't like him as a person?"

"Why would I!? He's rude, insensitive, and just…well…_cold_."

"Humph," the strawberry-blonde woman snorted, tossing her hair and turning away from Ichigo momentarily to take another long drink of sake. "I was wrong about you, then."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you might be different, but I guess not. You're just like the rest of 'em who can't see taichou for who he really is. So, he's just another pretty little dolly to you, isn't he? Just a cute kid to take advantage of because you think he doesn't know better since he's so young? You don't even think he's human, do you? You think he's nothing more than a lump of ice, am I right? A mindless drone who does whatever the sotaichou asks him to?"

"N-No! I didn't mean it like that! I really didn't! It's just…It's just really hard to explain…"

"So you _do_ like him!"

"Rangiku-san…"

"Yeah?"

"Was Toshiro…Was he always like this?"

A wide grin broke out across Matsumoto's face. "I was waiting for you to ask!" she giggled, turning eagerly back around to face the strawberry. "It's a really long story, but, nope! He wasn't always like he is now. I mean…He was such a nice kid back then, until…"

"What happened?"

Matsumoto sighed reminiscently, a small smile on her lips. "He was the most adorable thing you ever saw," she continued. "You probably would never guess, but he was just this lovestruck, innocent, pretty little kid. There was this one fellow, Kusaka Sojiro, and he and taichou were just _completely_ in love. They were so cute together, and they were going to get married and everything…You know, every day, after classes, taichou would come see me…"

Her words trailed off as she remembered a time from long ago, back before Hitsugaya had even graduated from the shinigami academy.

"_Matsumoto-san, when I get married, which color kimono do you think would look best on me?" a young boy with wide green eyes and tufty white hair inquired. "White or black?"_

"_White," she answered promptly. _

"_That's what Kusaka said, too," the boy answered with a bright smile, "He said it went with my hair better."_

"_Is that so?"_

"_Yes, he said that he loves my hair because it reminds him of snow."_

"_That's so cute, Toshiro-chan! You two are __**so**__ meant for each other."_

"_Don't call me Toshiro-chan!"_

"_Ah," she smirked, "So you want me to start calling you by your future family name, is it? Well, then, __**Kusaka-chan**__, as I was saying…"_

"_Shut up!"_

"Rangiku-san?"

"Ah, sorry," Matsumoto giggled. "I was just remembering something he asked me once…Anyways, I was totally convinced that taichou and Sojiro-san were going to be happy and everything like that…They were going to wait until taichou was older, and then they were going to get married and all that…But it didn't exactly turn out like that…"

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked. "What happened?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated…But you see," she answered, "I'm not totally sure what _exactly_ happened, but supposedly, after they graduated from the academy, Sojiro-kun and taichou were acting rather shifty. They were talking about leaving Soul Society, which of course, is a capital offense…and…And, well, when the sotaichou heard about it, he forced taichou into being an obedient shinigami and promised that Sojiro-kun would not be harmed if he was to do exactly as he was told."

"And…?"

"…And taichou listened to him," Matsumoto murmured. "Day by day, his free will was being sucked out and they were stripping him of his dignity, too…He was little more than their puppet after that because he was frightened for Sojiro-kun's safety. The sotaichou forbade them from seeing each other ever again…But they disobeyed him. Sojiro-kun snuck out of his division one night to see taichou, and they were caught…And even though the sotaichou had promised that no harm would befall either of them, he had Sojiro-kun executed anyway the very next day. That killed the little soul that was left in taichou. Sojiro-kun was the only thing that kept him holding his head high…And after seeing his fiancée die before his own eyes…Well, he's never been the same since. He's changed for the worse."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered what Hitsugaya had said before they had fought.

"_I was once foolish enough to try to defy the authorities of Soul Society. I ended up losing everything…My free will, my dignity, and…and someone who was extremely important to me."_

And he realized, as Matsumoto had explained, maybe Hitsugaya Toshiro wasn't really a cruel, cold-hearted murderer. Maybe he wasn't the monster that his subordinates made him out to be. Maybe he was just, well…Maybe he was just Hitsugaya Toshiro. Maybe he was still the innocent child wanting to be loved and wanting to be accepted. Maybe he was still the young boy who only wanted for everything to be alright and for everyone to be okay.

He had seen it earlier when he had been glaring deep down into his eyes. He had seen the _real_ Hitsugaya Toshiro, who had been pleading desperately for Ichigo to free him from his icy prison and the emotional chains that bound him to the scars of his past and his duties to the Gotei 13.

There was also another fact to consider. A few hours ago, when they had fought, Hitsugaya

easily could have killed him, but he had chosen not to for reasons unknown, but that didn't

really matter. What _did_ matter was that he had spared his life without being asked to and

wanting nothing in return.

And, at that moment, Ichigo decided that he would melt that ice, no matter what it took. Hitsugaya had selflessly rescued him, and he resolved to return the favor – He was going to save him from himself.


	5. Blue Storm

Author's Note: Yay, second chapter in one day! I update fast because I love all of your reviews so much. )

* * *

"I now call this captain's meeting to order!"

Shortly after arriving in the first division office and taking his position in the perpendicular rows that were composed of all the captains of the Gotei 13, Hitsugaya had discovered that he had come right on schedule.

"Now then," the sotaichou announced, "I assume that all of you know the purpose of this meeting; to discuss the current situation of each division that has encountered any of the five ryoka..."

"Or the cat," Kyoraku piped up cheerfully, "Don't forget the cat."

"…Yes, and the cat. Anyways, Eleventh Division Captain, what is your position?"

Kenpachi merely stood rigidly, his pride obviously somewhat damaged before grunting, "Ikkaku, Yumichika, and I all had some trouble with the orange-haired kid."

"And…?"

"Beats me. He got away."

"He got away!? Zaraki, you fool! I _told_ you to capture them so I could run some research!" Mayuri seethed.

"Do it yourself then, if you're so great, you freakin' circus mime!"

"Actually," a gentle, feminine voice spoke, "Kurotsuchi-taichou, I heard that you encountered a ryoka as well…And you let him escape, as well. I'm assuming that was intentional, or would it be safer to assume it was on account of your own negligence?"

"Stay out of this, Unohana," the scientist snarled, "Women should not interfere in men's talk!"

"Shut up!" Kenpachi growled. "Let Unohana talk if she wants to!"

"Oh, Zaraki-taichou, please, call me Retsu."

"Oops. My bad."

"Don't try changing the subject on me, you fools!"

"This is absurd," Hitsugaya muttered to himself with a roll of his cerulean eyes. As usual, the captain's meeting had turned into a verbal slaughterhouse due to Kenpachi and Mayuri's constant bickering. As if it wasn't bad enough, Unohana had added herself into the mix of arguementations, though Kenpachi didn't seem to mind at all. Hitsugaya suspected that the brawl-happy man probably had a thing there for the demure captain of the fourth division. He sighed again. "Stupid old men should know by now when they need to shut up."

"And children should learn to hold their tongues in the presence of adults, you insolent little brat!" Mayuri hissed, whirling around to face Hitsugaya.

"I am _not_ a child, Kurotsuchi-taichou," Hitsugaya retorted coldly. The scientist seemed to be somewhat frightened for a second as the room's temperature seemed to drop. However, the usual self-satisfied smile was back on his face in a flash.

"Is that so?" he answered in a nearly delighted voice, "Well, I heard through the grapevine and all that _you_, Hitsugaya-taichou, went out alone without permission to fight a ryoka! What do you have to say about _that_, eh?"

"He was intruding on my division," Hitsugaya snapped, "And, unlike you, I actually _won_ my fight."

There was an awed hush over the room before Yamamoto coughed again to get the attention of all the distracted captains.

"Which ryoka was it, Tenth Division Taichou?" he asked.

"The orange-haired male," he answered promptly.

"And you said you won your fight?"

"Hai, sotaichou."

"What happened to the ryoka? Where is he now?"

"He…" Hitsugaya began, faltering. He blinked before speaking again in a voice that he hoped was convincing. "…He's…He's dead. I had no choice but to kill him."

Fortunately, Yamamoto didn't seem to notice the hesitation in his voice. "I see," he replied sagely. "Very good, Hitsugaya-taichou. I expect the rest of you to respond to this threat as effectively as such."

"You say you killed him?" Mayuri demanded, still indignant about the fact that Hitsugaya had just humiliated him. "Are you _sure _about that?"

"Yes."

A broad smile made its way across the scientist's face as he reached out, running a set of pasty fingers across the white-haired boy's neck, his fingers curling his throat momentarily before withdrawing as if he intended on strangling him, his grin widening further as he spoke again before Hitsugaya could utter a single protest.

"You're lying," he accused. "I can still feel that ryoka's fresh reiatsu all over you."

"I don't remember giving you permission to touch me," Hitsugaya retorted acidly. "And you must have let your senses become rusty. I killed him, and that's all there is to it."

"He lies, sotaichou!" Mayuri claimed gleefully, pointing a finger in desperate need of a manicure at the young captain. "The boy lies!"

"That's enough, Kurotsuchi-taichou," Yamamoto answered gruffly. "Tell me he's lying again once you've gathered _valid_ proof of your irrational claims."

Mayuri opened and closed his mouth like a mentally retarded goldfish. "But…He…It…Sotaichou, look at him! He's guilty! It's written all over that smug little face of his! That ryoka is still alive!"

"Now, if no one else has anything to say, all of you are now dismissed!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Hitsugaya turned away, following the other captains out of the door in a single-file line. It was a miracle the sotaichou had not decided to feel for himself whether or not there were still traces of Ichigo's reiatsu on his body. At any rate, he would have to be more cautious from now on to avoid being detected again.

"Before you leave," Mayuri spoke, addressing him just as he was about to shunpo off. "Just so you know, I'll be watching you closely from now on. _Very_ closely. You'd better watch yourself, little taichou."

With yet another irritated roll of his eyes, muttering to himself, Hitsugaya shunpo'd off before Mayuri could get in another word.

* * *

"Welcome back, taichou!" Matsumoto chirped cheerfully as Hitsugaya entered his office, closing the doors behind him as he did so. "How was the meeting?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he answered.

"Good to hear," Matsumoto beamed. As long as one of the captains hadn't beheaded another, then any meeting was a success, in her opinion. After all, those meetings were infamous for dragging out pointlessly as the captains threw various insults back and forth.

"Welcome back, Toshiro," Ichigo offered. He flinched inwardly as all he got in response was a cold glare that meant something along the lines of, _Call me 'Toshiro' one more time and I'll cut you into fourths and feed you to a hollow._

"One more thing, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya spoke, turning back to his assistant captain. "Take care not to speak with anyone from the twelvth division so long as Kurosaki is here."

"Why not?"

"Don't question me."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it, taichou."

Hitsugaya moved towards his desk, intent on finishing the mountains of paperwork that had recently accumulated on the table's top. However, as he glanced at Ichigo, he froze in his tracks, his eyes widening the slightest in such a fashion that was barely noticeable.

"Kurosaki, you idiot," he growled, "What did you do?"

"Huh!?" the strawberry spluttered, "I didn't do anything!"

"Yes, you did," the snow-crowned captain muttered, changing course to move in the other direction until he was standing next to Ichigo, who was still sitting on the couch. "Your wounds have re-opened."

Ichigo looked down at his chest, dismayed to find that without his noticing, blood from the injuries he had sustained from the fight earlier was soaking steadily through the bandages.

"Don't move," Hitsugaya ordered as he knelt by the couch, reaching to Ichigo's chest and seizing the loose end of the bindings, undoing the bandages with a flick of the wrist, letting the blood-stained material fall to the floor.

"Matsumoto, get me more bandages."

"Yes, sir!"

"Sit still or you'll be sorry," he muttered as he placed a hand on the strawberry's chest, and Ichigo couldn't help but let a small smile make its way across his lips as he noticed that the boy's cheeks flushed a faint, barely-noticeable pink as he did so.

"What's so funny, Kurosaki?"

"N-Nothing!"

Hitsugaya gave him another glare before looking back down to the wound he was concentrating on before presently, his hand began to glow with a faint light with the healing kido spell he was placing upon the ugly-looking gash.

Ichigo watched in fascination. It was quite amazing, who would have thought that the young captain was capable of reducing such a wound to little more than a thin cut?

"I suppose you're expecting me to apologize to you for wounding you like this," Hitsugaya spoke as he removed his hand. "And if you indeed are, then I'm sorry to disappoint you. I have nothing to apologize for. It was your own fault for not backing down when I asked you to."

"Taichou, here are the bandages you asked for," Matsumoto announced, handing the white fabric to her captain, who took the cloth strips and instantly began to wrap them around the strawberry's chest and upper stomach.

"There," he said, stepping back. "Try not to move around. If you manage to open those wounds again, it won't be pretty."

"Thanks, Toshiro," Ichigo replied gratefully, smiling at the icy-toned boy, who instantly looked away with a soft scoff, rolling his eyes for the hundredth time that day.

"What are you thanking me for, Kurosaki? I…I'm just doing this because the sooner you are fully recovered, the sooner you leave my office for good."

Matsumoto snorted.

"Excuse me, Matsumoto? Is there something you wanted to say?" Hitsugaya demanded in a dangerously cold voice.

"Nope," she answered innocently. "Nothing at all, taichou."


	6. Counter Clockwise

Author's Note: Oh, my...Am I the only one who was completely disgusted with that new episode, which marcates the beginning of a long line of crappy fillers...That stupid Shusuke or whatever his face was dude, getting drunk on his first day of duty...Not smart. Though, the fillers are mostly to help Mr. Kubo produce more work without feeling rushed or stressed, so we should be grateful for them.

* * *

"_Kusaka, please. We can't go on like this anymore. Why should we have to meet in secret, sneaking around the sotaichou's back after dark when everyone else is asleep? I don't like it! It…It's like breaking the law! And we just keep doing it! If we get caught…"_

"_Toshiro, I know we're not supposed to be seeing each other anymore, but you have to understand. I love you, alright? I can't keep living how they want me to. That would mean not being able to be with you, ever. I would rather die than have to do that. I can see it in you, too, Toshiro. You're in pain. I know you are. I hate to see you like this, and any punishment if we really do get caught is at least better than seeing you hurt."_

"_I just don't want anything to happen to you. Please…Please, let's just give up. Let's just listen to what our superiors say for once."_

"_I know you, Toshiro. You can do better than this. I know you can. If we just give up, what will happen? All these years I've known you will have gone to waste, and I want to hold on to them just a little longer." _

"_Kusaka…I-I'm so sorry…I'm just so afraid of what they will do if they find out we're still seeing each other against their orders…"_

"_Don't be afraid, Toshiro. Even if all of Soul Society is against you, I'll still be right here with you. I promise that nothing will happen. I mean, what're they gonna do? Execute one of us?"_

"_It's possible."_

"_Don't be paranoid. They wouldn't do that."_

"_That's what you think."_

"_Like I said, don't be scared, alright? I don't want to hear you say that we should give up, ever again. Soul Society and those stupid laws can all go to hell for all I care. Everything's going to be okay, so chin up. Don't look so glum."_

"_Kusaka…"_

That had probably been at least fifty years ago. Fifty years ago, under the same crescent moon that shone over the Seireitei at this precise moment.

It was already rather late at night, past the time that one should be in bed, sleeping peacefully instead of sitting outside in the cold and the dark, staring up at the sky and having too many regrets and too many worries. That was exactly what Hitsugaya was doing.

He had been trying with all of his might to forget what Kusaka had told him that night. There had been truth in his words, but he still had his doubts. After all, the line separating determination and stubbornness was a very thin one. Not only that, but the day after Kusaka had said those words to him, they had been discovered meeting in secret.

And he had been sentenced to death and killed.

He had been forced to watch.

On that day he would never forget, he could clearly remember everything that had happened in precise order. Kusaka Sojiro had been branded a criminal, a conspirator against the good of Soul Society.

He hadn't meant to make his intentions bordering the point of leaving Soul Society and betraying the Gotei 13. He had only wanted to figure out a life where both of them would be happy.

And that was what hurt the most.

Kusaka Sojiro hadn't died because he was a "traitor."

He had merely died only because he had wanted to make Hitsugaya happy. Only because he wasn't one to give up easily. Only because he had refused to let Soul Society tell them how to live and what they could and couldn't do.

Only because he loved him.

In the end, it had all been completely and utterly useless. No good had come out of it. It had been a hopeless fight from the very beginning.

What was the point of not giving up? Why didn't he just turn Ichigo in to the sotaichou?

Hitsugaya himself didn't understand very well why he was still keeping the strawberry safe in his office. For some reason, he thought, maybe this time, everything _would_ be okay. He would just have to try.

"What're you doing out here all alone, Toshiro? Aren't you tired?"

Hitsugaya turned to see Ichigo, who was looking curiously at him.

"Kurosaki," he snapped, "Why did you come out here? You know what will happen if you are seen. Go back inside and go back to sleep."

"I'm not going back in 'til you do," Ichigo insisted stubbornly.

"Then you can stay out here forever and freeze to death for all I care."

"If I freeze to death, you're going down with me."

"No, I am not, you fool. Go back inside, now."

"I don't want to."

"Then don't start complaining if someone sees you and arrests you."

"Oh, come on. No one patrols around this late at night, do they?"

"You'd be surprised."

There was a long and awkward silence. Ichigo was still intently watching Hitsugaya, as if he was expecting him to do a circus trick. Hitsugaya, on the other hand, was using all of his willpower to completely ignore the strawberry and pretend he wasn't even there to start with.

"Are you cold?"

"No."

"Oh, come on! It's probably at _least_ ten below zero right now!"

"Kurosaki, you forget that I wield an ice-based zanpaku-to."

Another silence.

"So, what?"

Hitsugaya was about to respond, but he suddenly felt a fabric of sorts being draped over his shoulders. He turned his head to look at Ichigo, fully prepared to give him a super-death glare, but his gaze instantly softened when he realized what Ichigo had just wrapped around him.

"Kurosaki, you fool," he muttered, "Take your kimono back. You'll catch your death of cold."

"No, I won't," he insisted stubbornly as he seated himself next to the scowling captain. "You need it more than I do. Soul Society would be worse off with a sick taichou than a sick ryoka, right?"

"Shut up. I'm not going to get sick."

"Says you."

There was another long silence. By this point, Ichigo had drawn his knees up to his now bare chest. "Damn, it's killer cold out here," he whistled through chattering teeth.

"Of course you're cold!" Hitsugaya snapped in an irritated voice, pulling Ichigo's kimono off of his shoulders and thrusting it back at him. "Put your kimono back on, you idiot!"

"No," he frowned. "Then you're going to get cold."

"I've already told you, I am _not _cold. Put your kimono back on this instant or you'll be sorry."

"Fine, fine," Ichigo sighed, taking the rejected garment back and pulling it back on, re-fastening the obi around his waist. "Then what about you?"

"I'll be fine. Go back inside and go back to sleep."

"I already said I wasn't going in until you did, didn't I?"

"I don't care what you said. Just go back inside."

"But you'll be lonely and cold!"

"I will not."

"Yes, you will!"

"Shut up."

There was yet another long and awkward pause. A cricket somewhere chirped, and a bitterly cold gust blew from the east, buffeting the two shinigami with its icy breath.

Ichigo watched Hitsugaya closely, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty as he saw the slightest shiver rack the boy's small body.

"You little liar, you are _too_ cold," Ichigo murmured, scooting closer to Hitsugaya. Then, without so much as a second thought or any consideration to what the consequences could possibly be, he firmly wrapped his arms around the dainty taichou's smaller body, pulling him close to his chest and trying to shield him from the night's cruel chill.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened in shock as his cheeks instantly flushed a bright scarlet. The bodily contact was completely unexpected, but though he refused to admit it to himself, it wasn't entirely unwanted.

"K-Kurosaki! What do you think you're doing!?" he demanded indignantly as he instantly tried to pull away from the strawberry's vice-like grip. "Tried" being the key word here.

"What does it look like?" Ichigo frowned, only tightening his grip against the thrashing taichou. "I'm keeping you warm, of course."

"I don't need you to keep me warm! Get off of me!"

"No."

After more struggling and complaining, and after succeeding in nearly jabbing out Ichigo's left eyeball, Hitsugaya finally stopped moving, too exhausted to keep protesting.

"K…Kurosaki…You goddamn idiot…Let go of me…"

"That wasn't very nice, Toshiro! Kids like you shouldn't talk so rudely!"

That was an extremely stupid and suicidal thing to say in the presence of the juuban tai taichou, but fortunately, it didn't make much of a difference.

Hitsugaya was already fast asleep, curled up against the strawberry's chest and in his arms, exhausted from the day's work and trying to escape from Ichigo's grip of doom.

Ichigo smiled to himself, patting the sleeping captain's head fondly.

"Sweet dreams, Toshiro."

He then stood up, taking care not to awaken Hitsugaya as he quietly carried his sleeping form back into the office.


	7. Checkmate

Author's Note: Here's chapter seven for you! I really like using Jay Chou songs for the chapter names. They tie in very well with the theme of each chapter, and plus, it saves me the work of trying to think of my own names...

* * *

When Hitsugaya awoke the next morning, he was relatively surprised to find that he had been laid down on the couch inside his office by someone. Whoever that "someone" happened to be wasn't a great mystery.

He stood up, looking at the clock, cursing mentally. He was already late for the daily captain's meeting. Muttering to himself about his own negligence, he pulled Hyorinmaru over his shoulder and hurried off, trusting that Matsumoto would take care of the morning work when she woke up herself. She probably wouldn't, but at least she would keep Ichigo out of trouble.

So he set off, using shunpo to the best of his ability, heading in the general direction of the first division office. He arrived shortly after he had left his own office, but that did not change the fact that he was still tardy.

And seeing that Hitsugaya prided himself for never being late to assembly or to meetings, this was not good at all.

He stopped in front of the first division office, pushing the heavy doors open as he rushed inside to find that all the other captains had already arrived.

"I'm sorry, sotaichou…I was distracted and I lost track of time," he murmured, quickly taking his place in the parallel rows of captains, his cheeks burning with shame.

"Distracted by what, I wonder?" Mayuri inquired with mock curiousity, his eyes glued on the diminutive captain. "A certain ryoka boy…perhaps?"

Hitsugaya glared venomously at him before retorting, "No, as I said, I merely lost track of the time. Perhaps you should consider listening more closely."

"And perhaps you should start obeying your superiors, Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Who are you to tell me who I should be obeying?"

"Of course, you're only a child. There's no doubt that you do not understand the system of laws."

"For the hundredth time, Mayuri-taichou," Hitsugaya hissed, "I am _not_ a child. I understand the laws perfectly well, and I make a point to follow them."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

With a scoff, Mayuri rolled his bulging eyes. "One day you'll see, Hitsugaya-taichou. You'll end up just like that worthless fiancée of yours…What was his name again? Ah, yes, Kusaka Sojiro, correct? Humph, that pathetic, scheming brat, you're headed right to the same end as he met, that traitor-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the scientist blinked, looking downwards to see Hitsugaya pointing his katana at his throat.

"Kusaka was _not_ a traitor. Speak of him again with your unworthy tongue and I will kill you."

"That's enough!" Yamamoto barked, slamming his cane to the floor with a crash. It was loud enough to wake up Kyoraku, who had dozed off a few moments earlier. "Hitsugaya-taichou, lower your zanpaku-to this instant!"

"Hai, sotaichou. I'm sorry…"

"Such rash behavior will not be tolerated during our meetings! In addition, Hitsugaya-taichou, do not forget that you arrived half an hour late. You are in no position to be acting up, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. My deepest apologies."

"See to it that it does not happen again."

"Hai, sotaichou."

Yamamoto then glanced to Mayuri. "The same goes for you as well, Twelfth Division Taichou," he announced. "So stop your sniggering."

* * *

"This is boring. When's Toshiro gonna come back?"

"Well, the captain's meeting _has_ been over for at least twenty minutes by now," Matsumoto answered, glancing at the strawberry. "He should be back soon."

"Hey, Rangiku-san, who's that?"

"Who's what?"

"_That _guy." Ichigo pointed to the window, where a funny-looking fellow was peering in, his pasty white hands plastered to the windowpane.

Ichigo absently waved.

The man stared and grinned before disappearing.

"Sheesh. What's his problem?"

Matsumoto's face paled. "K-Kurotsuchi taichou," she murmured, remembering what her captain had told her.

"_Take care not to speak with anyone from the twelfth division so long as Kurosaki is here." _

At that moment, the office doors burst open, revealing a breathless Hitsugaya whose teal eyes had not adopted their usual cold demeanor. Instead, they were filled with sheer panic.

"Kurosaki," he began, "You must leave this place immediately."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo demanded. "I thought you said…"

"I _know_ what I said!" the white haired boy snapped impatiently. "Listen to me, Kurosaki. They know you are here, and if you do not leave at once, they _will_ kill you. I want you to go to the fourth division and look for a woman named Unohana Retsu. Tell her that I have sent you, and she will see to your needs from this point forward. Now, go."

"Toshiro, slow down! Just explain to me what's going on!"

"There's no time to explain. Just leave."

"But what about you…?"

"I'll be fine. Go before I lose my patience. Matsumoto, you are to go with Kurosaki as well and stay in the fourth division with him until this matter is resolved."

"Hai, taichou."

"But, Toshiro!" Ichigo protested, "What if…"

"You heard taichou," Matsumoto snapped, seizing Ichigo by the collar. "Let's get out of here."

No sooner than they had disappeared, the office doors burst open again. Hitsugaya turned to see Mayuri, who bore a very smug expression indeed, and the sotaichou.

"Well, well, little juuban tai taichou," Mayuri hissed, crossing the room towards the young captain, "What do we have here? You've hid the ryoka from us, haven't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hitsugaya answered icily.

"Why, you little…Where is the ryoka!? Where have you hidden him!?" Mayuri seethed, seizing the front of the boy's kimono viciously. "Answer me!"

"I already said that I don't know what you're talking about."

"You…You brat!" Mayuri hissed, clenching and unclenching his fists. It was taking a lot of willpower to refrain from inflicting physical pain upon the white-haired captain. "I swear, sotaichou, the ryoka was here a moment ago! I saw him myself! See – You can still feel his reiatsu here!"

Frowning, Yamamoto paused for a moment, seeming to be trying to sense the said reiatsu, his gnarled brows crinkling.

Although Hitsugaya appeared perfectly calm and cold as ever on the outside, his heart was racing. The sotaichou wasn't stupid; that he knew. Sensing Ichigo's reiatsu would be child's play for him. And if he indeed sensed it, then he knew that it would all be over.

"Yes," Yamamoto finally spoke, "You are indeed correct, Kurotsuchi-taichou."

"See? I told you so!" the scientist answered gleefully, "But no, you wouldn't listen to me…"

Yamamoto turned to look at Hitsugaya, who instantly averted his gaze, too ashamed to look at the sotaichou directly in the eyes.

_I should have known this would happen from the very beginning…_

_I should have given up. _

_If you were alive, Kusaka, you would be angry with me if I turned Kurosaki in to the authorities. I thought that everything would work out, just like you said it would, that everything was going to be fine, so long as I didn't give up…_

_I tried, Kusaka. I really did. _

_But you were wrong. You were always wrong._

_I'm better off just giving up._

"Hitsugaya-taichou…Is it true that you were illegally helping a ryoka?" Yamamoto demanded.

Hitsugaya's eyes were glued to the floor as he nodded slowly. "Yes, sotaichou," he murmured in a voice barely above a whisper. "It's true."

"I'm sure you are aware of the fact that helping a dangerous ryoka directly harms Soul Society, and thus, it is a capital offense."

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"And because of this…You are under arrest. You no longer have any rights as a shinigami, and I am removing you from your taichou rank. Your zanpaku-to will be confiscated as well."

As he said these words, a group of shinigami subordinates hurried forward to take Hyorinmaru away and to remove Hitsugaya's haori before binding his hands behind his back. He made no effort whatsoever to resist.

After all, he was convinced that in the end, it was all useless. Mayuri, on the other hand, was almost dancing with glee.

"Lock him up and seal his reiatsu," Yamamoto ordered. "I will consult the Central 46 to see what is to be done about the crime that Hitsugaya Toshiro has committed."

_I'm so sorry, Kusaka. I can't do any better than this._


	8. Drifting

Author's Note: This chapter doesn't have a whole lot of action in it, but it's still very important, so make sure you don't skip this one over! And by the way, yes, the events are extremely skewed. I know Central 46 was supposed to have been slaughtered...But this is called fiction for a reason.

* * *

"Juuban tai taichou, Hitsugaya Toshiro, you stand before forty-six of Soul Society's judiciary officials to testify for the crimes you have commited against the Gotei 13 and Soul Society as a whole. Before these forty-six officials, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Hitsugaya closed his eyes, breathing inwards, before opening them again and allowing himself to exhale.

"I do not."

Shortly after his arrest, he had found himself being brought to the Central 46 Chambers itself for his trial. He had never been there before, nor had he seen it, and being stared at from all sides at forty-six frowning judges and sages was most unnerving.

His cheeks were burning with shame. Here, he was no better than a common criminal, just another rebellious shinigami who didn't know better. He could hear every word the judges were whispering amongst themselves about him.

"What were they thinking, making a mere child like him a captain of the Gotei 13?"

"Surely he lacks the needed maturity. Just look at what he has done!"

"And to think, the boy is supposed to be a prodigy. Some 'boy genius' he is! He's just another impudent brat."

Hitsugaya lowered his eyes, deeply ashamed of himself. Surely, the sotaichou must be terribly disappointed in him. He had entrusted him with the position of tenth division captain, and yet, he had let him down. Go figure.

Most of all, he was wondering how disappointed Matsumoto must be with him for dragging his whole division into his own issues. It must be a mess for her.

"The evidence we have here shows that you indeed committed the crime you are being tried for. Do you wish to plea for your innocence?"

Hitsugaya was not a liar.

"No," he murmured softly. "I plead guilty."

The room was filled with murmurs, before finally, another of the judges spoke again.

"Very well. Hitsugaya Toshiro, you have been determined _guilty_ of the following charges: Healing a dangerous ryoka, housing a dangerous ryoka, hiding a dangerous ryoka, and overall, helping a dangerous ryoka, and therefore, _treason_. The Central 46 has officially decided that your sentence will be…"

* * *

"Isane, Isane, Isane!" Matsumoto shrieked, flinging the doors of the fourth division open with a flourish as she bounded into the office, followed closely by a glum and guilty-looking Ichigo. "Is your taichou here? I have to talk to her…"

"Rangiku?" the silver-haired fukutaichou of the fourth division inquired, looking up from the varieties of herbs and countless bottles of medicines that were strewn out on the floor that she was meant to be sorting. "Erm, she went to check on some patients, but she should be back soon…"

"Good!" Matsumoto beamed as she flopped down on the couch, immediately making herself at home. "Then we'll wait."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Oh," Matsumoto answered with a shrug and gesturing towards Ichigo, "Me and him."

Isane turned to look at Ichigo her eyes instantly widening with fear. "R-Rangiku! You brought a ryoka here!?"

"Yeah," the buxom fukutaichou of the tenth division shrugged. "Got any sake?"

"No! Sake is bad for your health! What are you thinking, bringing a ryoka in here!? Taichou is going to be furious! He has to leave _now_!"

"Ah, sorry if I'm freaking you out, but I assure you, my intentions are all good…" Ichigo muttered lamely, trying to look harmless and nice.

"Don't worry about it, Isane," Matsumoto replied, "My taichou sent both of us here, so it's not like he's going to attack us or anything, right, Ichigo-kun?"

"Right."

"So, you mean Hitsugaya-taichou sent you two?"

"Yeah."

At that moment, the office doors opened, and in walked Unohana Retsu, the captain of the fourth division herself.

"Taichou!" Isane said quickly, hastily acting like she had been sorting the materials on the floor the whole time. "R-Rangiku-san is here to see you…"

The dark-haired woman turned to look at Matsumoto, who waved cheerfully.

"Very well," she answered, "And, Matsumoto-san, may I ask who that friend of yours is?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo," she responded. "His name's Ichigo."

"I see. Is he not a ryoka?"

"Yeah…Well, about that…Erm, taichou sent him."

"Is that so?"

"Hai, Unohana-taichou."

"It can't be helped, then," the motherly captain answered. "I knew that Hitsugaya-taichou was up to something…But he has entrusted you to my care, and so I will respect his final wish."

"Final?" Ichigo repeated, catching her use of words. "His _final_ wish? Whaddya mean by final?"

Unohana glanced at Ichigo, who was staring at her as if she were a mutant. "Since you became a shinigami through unofficial and technically illegal means," she began, "It is likely that you are unfamiliar with the laws of Soul Society."

"So? What does that have to do with it?" the strawberry asked quite rudely, which earned him a sharp smack on the head from Matsumoto and a glare from Isane.

"…And so, based on that inference, I am assuming that you were unaware that if one is caught helping a dangerous ryoka, the penalty is almost _always_ death."

There was a long and uncomfortable pause.

"You don't mean…"

"Yes. If the authorities have found out that Hitsugaya-taichou was indeed assisting you, then he will most likely be sentenced to death and executed."

"You see?" Matsumoto added, poking Ichigo's shoulder with her index finger, "If taichou got in trouble then it's entirely your fault."

Ichigo, on the other hand, looked extremely pale in the face.

"Oh, come on, Ichigo-kun," Matsumoto added, "I was only kidding. They'll probably just dismiss it and put him in the detention center for just a day or two. Central 46 is easier on kids. They won't execute someone at his age."

"Y-Yeah," Ichigo answered, plastering what he hoped was a convincing and cheery smile on his face, wanting with all his heart to erase the doubt that stopped him from believing Matsumoto's words of reassurance. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Rangiku-san. He'll be okay."

"That's right," Matsumoto approved, "So, for now, I guess we'll just lay low and wait for things to sort out…Ah, yes, and you still need to go get Rukia-chan, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ichigo replied, a brief pang stabbing him directly in the heart. He felt so guilty for nearly forgetting the real reason why he had come to Soul Society – to save Rukia, of course. After all, it _had_ been all his fault that she had gotten into trouble…

…And it would be his fault if Hitsugaya was to be sentenced to death as well.

At that moment, a black butterfly appeared in the center of the room, hovering in the air as it flapped its frail, charcoal-colored wings in earnest.

"Huh? What's that?"

"It's a hell butterfly," Matsumoto explained, "It's how we communicate in Soul Society."

Unohana's eyebrows furrowed and Isane looked towards her worriedly.

"It is an urgent announcement," the captain of the fourth division finally spoke, "An announcement from the Central 46 Chambers."

"_This is a notice for all captains of all divisions of the Gotei 13 from the Central 46 regarding the recent events in the Seireitei. The juuban tai taichou, Hitsugaya Toshiro…"_

Upon hearing Hitsugaya's name, Ichigo instantly snapped to attention.

"…_has been found guilty of assisting a dangerous ryoka and has been tried under charges of treason towards Soul Society. Therefore, it has been determined that three weeks after the execution of former soul reaper Kuchiki Rukia…" _

Ichigo swallowed hard, his heart pounding at a painful rate in his chest. He looked at Matsumoto, whose eyes were rigid with apprehension.

"Please," he mentally begged, "Please, kami, don't let it be…"

Apparently, the gods didn't feel like listening to him that particular day.

"…_the former captain of the tenth division, Hitsugaya Toshiro…will also be put to death."_

The strawberry's heart seemed to freeze in his chest. In fact, everything around him seemed surreal, as if time itself had stopped as well. He felt like vomiting.

"No…Not Toshiro…Th-This can't be happening, there has to be some kind of mistake…"

If this was a bad dream, he would really like to wake up now.

Isane's eyes widened.

Unohana frowned.

Matsumoto looked as if she was about to faint.

"_The verdict is final. There will be no changes unless absolutely necessary."_

And then, Matsumoto _did_ actually faint.

"Rangiku-san!"

Isane caught the buxom woman before she hit the floor, and Unohana hurried off to call for her subordinates to help transport her to a hospital room.

Ichigo was still staring at the butterfly in disbelief.

"No way…" he whispered, his throat feeling raw and dry, sweat making its way down his forehead and dampening his palms as well. "They can't do this…They can't do this to Toshiro…This is…" He swallowed, his sweaty palms clenching into fists as his face turned a ghastly pale color.

"…This is…all my fault."


	9. Nocturne

Author's Note: Here's the next installment! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. And just a warning, but after I re-read this chapter, I actually found it to be quite cheesy. So yeah. Please don't get too disgsuted...

* * *

There was a long and uncomfortable silence as each shinigami glanced nervously at each other, unsure of what to say or do.

Finally, Ichigo stood up, heading straight for the door.

"Kurosaki-san! Where do you think you're going?" Isane demanded, stopping the strawberry in his tracks as he made his way towards the exit. "There's nothing you can do right now! The word of the Central 46 is absolute!"

"I don't care!" Ichigo shot back in a voice that was nearly a yell, enough so that it startled Isane quite a bit. "Do you really expect me to just sit here and wait!?"

"No, that's not what I meant, just calm down! I'm sure we can think up something better, but for nows, let's just wait for Rangiku-san to wake up. We still have plenty of time, so please don't rush into things."

There was another silence.

Feeling somewhat ashamed of himself for yelling at Isane like he had, Ichigo sullenly sat back down. "Sorry," he muttered, "I just don't want to see either of them executed. Both of them have helped me so much…and all they get in return is…well, death."

"It's alright. I don't blame you," Isane answered. "It'll work out, I'm sure. We've just got to think of a plan."

There was another long pause.

"I know!" Ichigo suddenly exclaimed, his expression brightening the slightest. "L-Let's hide them in the real world! Renji can go get Rukia, and I'll get Toshiro, and I guess Rangiku-san can come along, too…"

Isane's expression brightened too, at this as she clapped her hands together. "Great!" she squealed, "Then we've got no time to waste! Let's get going now, Kurosaki-san!"

"Are you sure, though? I mean, things won't be pretty for you _or_ your captain if you're seen with me…"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Isane giggled, "Hitsugaya-kun was smart to send you here. You see, everyone's too scared of Unohana-taichou to say or do anything that would displease her."

Ichigo flinched.

Unohana, of all people? She looked so motherly and docile. Then again, looks could often be deceiving. After all, Hitsugaya wasn't the cold-blooded killer he externally appeared to be, and at any rate, Isane was right.

There was no time to waste.

And so, they devised a plan: Isane would lead Ichigo to the prison centers where criminals of various degrees were held (It was likely Hitsugaya was there, seeing as the Shrine of Pentinence was already occupied), and they would take Hitsugaya and hurry back to the fourth division. Meanwhile, Unohana would fetch Renji, and the two of them would go together to bring Rukia back. Once these steps were completed, Unohana would arrange a dimensional gate for them to cross through, and once Matsumoto came back around from her faint, Ichigo, Hitsugaya, Rukia, and Matsumoto would all travel to the real world and stay in hiding until it was deemed safe to return to Soul Society.

And so, they set off.

* * *

"How much…further?" Ichigo panted, running alongside Isane, who also seemed out of breath as they ran through the Seireitei.

"Not much more!" the fourth-division fukutaichou answered, huffing and puffing. "Only a minute or so left!"

Surely, a large, blank-looking building was visible from their current position. They were already within steps of it, and its entrance was in full view. "That," Isane explained, "Is our destination. Where all prisoners are held."

Nodding, Ichigo followed her closely as she approached the doors. A shinigami guard was standing in front of the doors, squinting to see who had arrived.

"Isane-fukutaichou!" he addressed, "What brings you here?"

"Erm, my taichou sent me," Isane explained.

The guard then glanced at Ichigo, who waved nervously.

"Who's that?"

"Oh, nobody special," Isane shrugged. "One of my subordinates. Can you let us through? I don't think Unohana-taichou would be very happy if she found out we were detained here."

"H-Hai!" the guard answered quickly, opening the doors to allow them to pass. "Right through here, miss." He blinked before adding, "And mister."

"Thank you," Isane smiled, quickly walking through the open door and motioning for Ichigo to follow as fast as possible as well. It had been a miracle that the guard had not recognized him as a ryoka, let alone let them through.

Maybe Unohana _was_ pretty scary. He had seemed only too eager to let them through once her name had been mentioned.

The interior of the prison center was dimly-lit and overall a very gloomy place to be. Behind the bars of each cell, there was either an eerie absence of human (or rather, shinigami) presence or a frail, haggard and frightened looking prisoner inside.

Ichigo and Isane scanned each cell quickly, looking for familiar signs of Hitsugaya, namely, the tell-tale silver hair and emerald eyes.

The orange-haired ryoka was the first to spot him.

He had been confined to a high-security cell near the rear of the room, enforced by a kido spell that sealed the boy inside to cut off any hopes of escape. But that was not what bothered Ichigo.

Hitsugaya was laying face-down on the cold stone floor, unconscious.

"T-Toshiro!" Ichigo spluttered, hurrying forward, his heart pounding in his chest at a million miles a minute at the pitiful sight. He could feel his heart sinking as they approached. The once proud and haughty Hitsugaya Toshiro had never looked like so helpless before. The fact that his authoritative haori had been taken away didn't help either. He looked like little more than a frail, fragile child who had been beaten into submission.

He spun around to face Isane, who looked rather pale in the face. "What did they do to him!?" he nearly screamed, frantic upon seeing the boy who had rescued him before left carelessly on the floor, bleeding and unconscious like a discarded doll.

"I...I didn't suspect that this would happen," Isane replied slowly, "But there's no doubt that they've been interrogating him...And torturing him as well to force him to tell them what they've wanted to hear."

"Wh…What do you mean?"

"It's likely they asked him questions regarding your whereabouts," she answered, "And he most likely refused to answer, which would explain why he has been beaten to this state. I knew that torture was sometimes an option…But I didn't think they'd sink so low as to do this to a _child_, of all people._"_

The strawberry swallowed, hard.

Again.

It had been his entire fault.

"Well," he murmured, "We'd better get him out of here as fast as we can, then. I guess the interrogators could be back at any second."

"You're right," Isane answered as she observed the cell acutely. "There's a kido barrier on it," she explained, "But it's not very strongly enforced. It's only meant to block reiatsu from the interior so that Hitsugaya-taichou's reiatsu would be sealed off…But it should be no trouble to break from the outside."

"Really?" Ichigo breathed, "Then, could you please?"

"Yes, but I'll need you to step back, if you will."

"Y-Yeah," Ichigo answered hastily, quickly stepping behind Isane as she held a hand against the kido barrier, muttering a spell under her breath.

As soon as the words for the kido incantation had been spoken, the room was enveloped in a blinding, searing flash of light. The kido barrier surrounding the cell shattered, and the bars that separated them from the hapless prisoner crumbled along with it.

No sooner had this happened, Ichigo was already making his way through the rubble, and he was at Hitsugaya's side in an instant, scooping the boy's lifeless form into his arms and holding him tightly, rising to his feet, readying himself to leave along with Isane.

"K-Kurosaki…?"

The strawberry looked down to see Hitsugaya's eyes opening, the usually vibrant and piercing emerald jewels reduced to little more than dull, murky green stones.

"Hang in there, Toshiro," Ichigo murmured, his hold tightening protectively around him. "I've got you, okay? Everything's gonna be just fine."

"…And Matsumoto?"

"She's fine, so don't worry. We're gonna get you guys out of here."

As Ichigo readjusted his hold on the young captain, he took notice that the boy's eyelids were fluttering again. He was slipping in and out of conciousness, but Ichigo could tell that he was fighting to stay awake.

"Relax, Toshiro," he murmured, "I won't let anyone hurt you anymore."

"Why?" Hitsugaya asked in a voice that was barely even a whisper. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because," Ichigo answered firmly, "Because I want to. You saved my life and so I owe you mine. I'll protect you at all costs, no matter what, and if I have to die for it, then I'll gladly give up my life for you."

"Kurosaki, please…You can't do this. If…If you're caught…"

"I don't plan on getting caught."

"Leave me here."

"No."

"I beg of you. Do not burden yourself with me."

"I don't care what you say and I don't care if you don't want me to," Ichigo insisted, "I'm not going to leave you to die, period."

There was a long silence before Isane finally spoke.

"Kurosaki-kun," she spoke, "We'd best get going before someone comes in and discovers that we've taken Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Right," Ichigo answered.

"Be careful, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya murmured. "No matter what, you _cannot_ be seen with me."

"Got it. Don't worry, Toshiro. I've already said this, but I'll say it again…I'll protect you at all costs."


	10. The East Wind Breaks

Author's Note: I believe I've already said, at least three times, that the sequence of events in my fic is extremely skewed for my convenience. I've already established the fact that things are _not_ going to go as they did in the manga, but thank you for bringing it up anyway. There are way too many loopholes...But I will do my best to explain everything eventually, though it's difficult to do it effectively. Sorry. Also, this chapter marks the half-way done point, so I suppose it would be good to let you know that as soon as Ichigo & Company safely reach the real world, the story will shift a little, but the main conflict will remain the same until I wrap things up.

And yes, I am still using the names of Jay Chou songs for my chapter titles.

* * *

Seconds later, Ichigo found himself running for dear life alongside Isane as they left the building, unnoticed as they had gone through the rear exit. Fortunately, his precious cargo, in other words, Hitsugaya, didn't weight too much, being fairly small, and thus, he wasn't as exhausted as he thought he would be, though resting sounded like a great option at the moment. The sound of his feet pounding against the pavement was quickly drowned out by the sound of his own heart thundering painfully in his chest, constricted by his ragged huffing and puffing, and Hitsugaya's constant complaints.

"Put me _down_, Kurosaki!" Hitsugaya demanded indignantly, squirming in the strawberry's grasp, "I can walk by myself! It's not like I don't know how, you dolt!"

"Ouch!" Ichigo yelped as he felt the unhappy captain's hand shoving at his jawbone with reasonable force. "Stop wriggling around! You're making this harder than it needs to be!"

"You're not very clever, are you?" Hitsugaya retorted angrily, his struggles only increasing as each second went by. "It would be much easier if you'd put me down this instant! Even _more_ so if you had just left me there like I had asked you to!"

"My ass!" Ichigo snorted, "I just saved you and you're not even going to act grateful!?"

"Shut up, you insolent ryoka! Put me down at once! I don't need you to carry me!"

"H-Hitsugaya-taichou," Isane implored, "Please, cooperate with Kurosaki-kun and I. This is the best way to get you somewhere where you will be safe."

Hitsugaya merely gave her a glare that was frigid enough to put Antarctica to shame.

The fukutaichou of the fourth division quickly looked away with an involuntary shudder, deciding that translated into words, that expression meant something along the lines of "Say one more word and I will kill you."

"S-Someone's coming!" Ichigo spluttered suddenly, interrupting the intimidated Isane's thoughts, hearing voices and footsteps from around the corner.

"Quick," she murmured, dashing behind a building, and Ichigo, who was still clutching Hitsugaya tightly like a child clinging to a teddy bear, hastily followed. "We'll lie low until it's safe to move again."

They stood in silence, Ichigo's grip tightening defensively around the boy in his arms as they listened to the shinigami who had arrived from around the corner speak.

"Are you sure they went this way!?"

"Yes! I could have sworn I saw them moving this direction!"

"Then where are they now?"

"Beats me! But we're screwed if we don't get that kid back!"

"Who was in the group?"

"No idea. I just know there was one of the ryoka and he had that Hitsugaya kid with him, but I didn't really see who else they were with."

"Kurosaki-san," Isane whispered, "I'll distract them and lead them in a different direction, since they don't know that I was leading you yet. Listen closely, you must take Hitsugaya-taichou and return to the fourth division by yourselves. It's straight ahead. You will see the division's insignia painted on a building. You just have to go through the gates there and then head into Unohana-taichou's office as quickly as possible."

"Got it," Ichigo answered back in a low voice.

"Put me _down_," Hitsugaya interrupted in an irritated whisper, his hand threateningly held in a position that looked suspiciously like he was about to fire an explosive kido spell up the strawberry's nose.

"F-Fine," Ichigo stammered, eyeing his hand and the murderous look in his teal eyes warily before finally relinquishing his hold on the annoyed captain, gently placing him on the ground with reluctance.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice riddled with concern as he watched Hitsugaya teeter unsteadly like a baby bird only just learning how to fly. As he hesitantly took a small step forward, Ichigo couldn't help but notice him wince in pain as his weight shifted to his left leg.

"Toshiro, what's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. And for the hundredth time, don't call me that."

"I don't like this," Ichigo insisted, "Please, Toshiro, let me help you. You're in no condition to be moving around on your own…"

"Shut up," Hitsugaya snapped, and Ichigo instantly closed his mouth, slightly hurt. "You think I am still a child? You think I am helpless? I never asked you to save me, Kurosaki, so don't tell me that you are indebted to me. I know how to walk. I don't need you treating me like a toddler."

"S-Sorry…I didn't mean it like that," Ichigo muttered glumly. "I just…I just thought that maybe you'd be better off not pressuring yourself…" Hitsugaya's tone of voice had been so icy that he felt as if his entire heart had been frozen into a solid ice cube. He hadn't been expecting him to speak to him so harshly, after all, he hadn't intended on offending him.

"You thought wrong. In any case, we'd better get going."

"Hurry," Isane whispered, "I can only hold them off for so long." With that, she disappeared back around the corner, approaching their group of pursuers.

As soon as they seemed occupied, Ichigo and Hitsugaya quietly slipped behind another wall, cutting around the main path so they could make their way to the fourth division unseen. With a sharp pang of guilt and worry, Ichigo took note of Hitsugaya sucking in his breath and furrowing his eyebrows as he stepped with his left leg again, and he knew that something was terribly wrong, but he kept quiet about it, knowing fully well that he would only be chastised in return. After all, it was a matter of the captain's own pride.

After a few more moments of sneaking around the Seireitei, the two of them finally reached the fourth division office. With a sigh of relief, Ichigo pushed the doors open, waiting for Hitsugaya to go in first before he entered himself.

By the absence of shinigami presence in the room, Ichigo assumed that Unohana had not yet returned with Renji and Rukia.

He glanced worriedly at Hitsugaya, who had sunk to the floor, his back pressed against the wall, his breath coming out in sharp, ragged breaths. It was clearly evident that the boy was in pain.

"Toshiro," Ichigo murmured, approaching the boy, "Let me see your leg."

Hitsugaya looked up at the orange-haired ryoka, defensively drawing his legs up to his chest.

"No."

"Toshiro, let me see."

"I said, no. Why do you even care?"

"Please. I'm worried about you, and…"

"Don't try to sweet-talk me, you fool."

Frustrated, Ichigo promptly decided he was not going to let the snowy-haired captain boss him around any longer. After all, he had never been one to take commands from a kid three heads shorter than him, if not more.

Ignoring his protests, Ichigo knelt next to Hitsugaya, gently reaching out and softly tugging his left leg forward, letting it rest across his lap. With a frown, he softly pressed his finger against the said leg, immediately receiving a sharp hiss of pain in return.

He then took Zangetsu from his back, drawing it across the fabric of Hitsugaya's hakama, making a long, vertical slit from the hem of the garment down to the very end, revealing the slender leg concealed by the black cloth, the pale, smooth flesh contrasting with the hakama's dark color.

Hitsugaya's face instantly flushed scarlet upon his entire leg, up to his thigh being exposed for the strawberry's eyes to see, and Ichigo could feel his face heating up as well, but now was not the time to be embarrassed or to feel awkward.

As he pulled the cloth aside to gain better access, Ichigo inhaled sharply upon the sight that had been hidden within the folds of the pitch black fabric.

"Toshiro…You're wounded…"

Hitsugaya's left leg seemed to have been hopelessly and viciously maimed by something or someone, or a combonation of both, serving to cripple the boy. Blood was splattered across the porcelain skin, and dark, ugly bruises only stained it even further.

"Wh-Who did this to you?" the ryoka breathed out, softly running a hand along the wounded areas, quickly withdrawing his touch as he saw the victim of such injuries bite his lip to stop himself from crying out in pain.

"It's none of your business."

"Yes, it is," Ichigo choked out, "It's _my_ fault. Tell me, Toshiro. Tell me, who did this to you!? I'll make them wish they were never born!"

"Kurosaki…"

At that moment, the office doors opened, revealing a very flustered-looking Matsumoto.

"I'm so sorry!" she instantly began prattling off, "I guess I just overreacted, and...Oh! Taichou?"

There was a pause.

"What exactly…Are you two _doing_?"

Ichigo looked from Hitsugaya, to Matsumoto, then back to the bare and exposed leg that was resting across his lap.

"Th-This isn't what it looks like!" he spluttered frantically. "I just…I…We…"

"It's alright, Kurosaki-san," Unohana cut in with her usual maternal air as she appeared in the room a moment later."We understand. Now then, move aside and allow me to treat Hitsugaya-taichou's injuries. We want to be ready to leave as soon as possible."

"What about Renji and Rukia?"

Unohana pursed her lips before answering quietly, "They won't be joining us right now."

"What do you mean!? What's wrong!?"

The motherly captain shook her head. "Don't worry," she insisted, directly avoiding the question, "They will come. Later. But the two of you must leave first. You cannot afford to wait for them."

"Then what about Ishida, Inoue, Ganju, and Chad?"

"I will arrange for their transport back to the real world later. I have sent several subordinates to find them and bring them here. For nows, you must go. Things will become much more dangerous shortly, and in your current state, you do _not_, under any circumstances, want to get caught up in it."


	11. Black Humor

Author's Note: As I mentioned before, the story is going to shift slightly. Not a whole lot, though. Slightly. You can kind of see it in this chapter, but it's the next chapter that will have the major action in it, and, once again, I will be skewing actual events that occured in the manga. Sorry 'bout that, but next chapter will be quite intense, so look forward to it!

* * *

"Are you three ready to go?"

"I suppose," Ichigo answered, looking up at Unohana, and then to Matsumoto and Hitsugaya before adding, "What do you two think?"

"I guess I'm ready, too," Matsumoto shrugged.

There was a pause as all eyes moved to Hitsugaya, who was scowling. Moments earlier, the captain of the fourth division had treated his leg with medical kido and had bandaged it up. He was most displeased at the fact that he had been forced to rely on others so much, and besides, there was no time to fetch a new hakama to replace his damaged one.

"No," he stated plainly, "I'm not going to leave without Hyorinmaru."

Ichigo mentally kicked himself for his stupidity. _Duh_. They should have thought of recovering the tenth division captain's zanpaku-to _beforehand_. There was no telling whether or not he would need it to fend of potential pursuers.

"Don't worry," Unoahana reassured gently. "I will send your zanpaku-to to the real world with the rest of the ryoka when they arrive. It is unwise to wait any longer. The three of you must leave immediately. Here, I have prepared a gate for you to cross through," she spoke, gesturing to the portal-like gate behind her that had appeared.

"Unohana-san," Ichigo said as the moved towards the gate, "Earlier you said that things around here were going to get dangerous…What did you mean by that? Rukia and Renji are involved…aren't they? Will they be alright?"

"I will explain to you when the time comes," she promised, "I will send you news with a hell butterfly as soon as it is convenient. Hurry and leave."

"O-Okay," Ichigo muttered. "We're counting on you."

"Of course, Kurosaki-kun."

"Alright, everyone," Ichigo announced, facing the cheerful-looking Matsumoto and the grumpy Hitsugaya. "Let's get going!"

"Thank you, Unohana-taichou," Hitsugaya murmured as Ichigo and Matsumoto headed towards the gates. "If they ask you where I am, do not hesitate in telling them. I am not worth you getting into trouble for."

"Toshiro," Ichigo implored, "Hurry up."

Hitsugaya hurried to the gate, unceremoniously trying to hold the torn fabric of his hakama together in the process.

"Don't worry, Toshiro," Ichigo assured with a smile, holding out his hand. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise you that."

"Kurosaki…"

"Let's go, okay?"

Hesitantly, Hitsugaya placed his hand in Ichigo's as Matsumoto watched on, finally allowing the strawberry to guide him as they hurried through the gate and plunged into its dimension.

As they ran, Ichigo noted that the inside of the dimension that connected the spirit world to the material world was rather bleak-looking, but he could see the light pouring in from the other end.

"Not much farther," Matsumoto announced as they hurried forward. "We'll make it in no time."

Just as she had said, they reached the said exit a few moments later, stepping through as the opposite set of gates slid open automatically to let them pass.

"Whew," Ichigo breathed as they set food on sweet, solid, material ground for the first time in a long time. "We made it, huh?"

"I've never been to the real world before," Matsumoto squealed. "It's so cute-looking! I'm going to love it here…Ah, that's right! I brought _these_!"

As she spoke, she reached into her kimono, producing two candy dispensers, handing one to Hitsugaya, who eyed it suspiciously.

Chappy the Rabbit stared sweetly back up him.

"Matsumoto…what is the meaning of this?" he demanded in a dangerously cold voice.

His fukutaichou seemed completely unafraid of his icy tone. "What's the matter?" she giggled, "Don't you like Chappy?"

"Not particularly."

"What's not to like? Chappy's cute like you…or at least Ichigo-kun thinks so, ne?" she teased, elbowing the mortified strawberry.

"Shut up," Hitsugaya retorted darkly.

"I want to try my gigai out," Matsumoto whined.

"There's no need!" her captain snapped irately, "Do not use it unless it's necessary."

"Aw, taichou…You're no fun at all."

"C'mon, guys," Ichigo interrupted, beginning to walk. "My house isn't far from here. We'd better get indoors as soon as possible."

At these words, the trio headed off towards the general direction of the Kurosaki residence, the strawberry himself in the lead. They were a strange sight indeed, that is, if the passerbys could actually see them. Three funny-looking people dressed up in black kimonos, parading down the street as if the town belonged to them.

When they reached the house, Ichigo opened the door, stepping inside. "As far as I know," he explained, "My family can't see either of you, or me as of now, so you'll be fine without your gigais."

Ichigo led the two up into his room, closing the door behind him as he did so.

There was an awkward pause.

"I'm going to rest," Hitsugaya announced as-a-matter-of-factly. "If you don't mind, that is, Kurosaki."

"No, no, of course not," Ichigo answered, promptly patting his bed. "Go right on ahead. Sleep however long you want to. I really don't mind."

"I never said I was going to sleep. I'm not a baby who needs to be put down for a nap. I only want to lie down for a while."

"R-Right, sorry," the strawberry muttered as Matsumoto giggled.

"And if you two don't mind, I'd like some peace and quiet."

Ichigo knew perfectly well that he was about to be kicked out of his own room, but he would do anything if it meant making Hitsugaya as comfortable as he possibly could. "Got it," he answered, seizing Matsumoto by the back of her kimono. "Let's go, Rangiku-san."

After the two had left, Hitsugaya seated himself on Ichigo's bed, wondering to himself if there was really a point to all this. To be frank, he was a burden. He was dragging Ichigo and even his whole family, as well as Matsumoto, into an issue that could easily be resolved if only the strawberry would let him lie still and accept his death.

But things were not that simple.

* * *

An hour had passed since Ichigo and Matsumoto had left the bedroom. Ichigo couldn't stop himself from worrying and wondering if Hitsugaya was resting well.

"I'm gonna check on him," he whispered. "Wait here…And don't touch anything, please. Not that I don't trust you, but I don't want you breaking anything."

"No worries," Matsumoto assured, but once he was out of sight, she scurried down to the kitchen to raid his refrigerator.

As Ichigo ascended the stairs, taking care to tread quietly as not to disturb Hitsugaya, he moved towards his bedroom, demarcated by the plaque bearing the number fifteen.

Quietly and softly, he opened the door, peering inside. A small smile found its way across his lips as he discovered that the sight of Hitsugaya, fast asleep and curled up on his bed, was waiting to greet his eyes.

"Cheh, that silly kid," he murmured. "He really _did_ fall asleep…Poor Toshiro, he must be exhausted and really stressed out right now…"

His words trailed off as he noticed that the folds of Hitsugaya's kimono were loose. Frowning, not wanting a cold draft to expose the boy to illness, he crept silently across the room, reaching out to readjust the sleeping captain's robes to provide him with maximum warmth.

As he gently tugged at the fabric, something fell from its folds, drifting noiselessly down to the floor.

"Hmm?"

Curious, the substitute shinigami reached down, picking up the item, which happened to be a paper of sorts. More precisely, a photograph. Still curious, he flipped the small photograph over to observe its image.

It was a picture of a young man, not much older than himself, with dark, raven hair and plainly-colored, but warm eyes staring out, a slight smile at his lips.

Ichigo blinked, realizing that Hitsugaya had been keeping this photograph tucked safely in his kimono directly upon his heart. Most likely, he had taken it with him upon their departure from Soul Society. He took note of this with the slightest pang of jealousy – It would sure be nice if the boy kept a picture of _him_ by his heart. He then shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts…It wasn't as if he _liked_ Hitsugaya or anything, right…? So why should he be feeling jealous? Moreover, why _was_ he feeling jealous?

"Who the heck is this dude anyway, and does Toshiro have his picture?"

_He's not…__**that guy**__…is he?_

Wondering who it was in the picture, he pocketed the photograph, sneaking out the room and closing the door behind him, fully intending on getting some answers from Matsumoto.


	12. Cloudless Day

Author's Note: As you can see, this chapter is a tad longer than the others because there's a lot of action in it. I _did_ skew an actual event in the manga/anime to conform into my story's plot. I'll have more details at the chapter's end so I don't give this chapter away.

* * *

One Week Later.

Ichigo was starting to get concerned.

In the real world, things seemed to be coming back to normal conditions. Orihime, Chad, and Ishida had all safely returned, Ganju had been sent back to the Rugonkai (where he was harshly scolded by his sister for not finishing what he had broken into the Seireitei for), and they continued to simply go to school as if nothing had happened at all.

However, Matsumoto was getting bored.

She would constantly leave the Kurosaki house without their knowledge, coming back and apologizing profusely to her captain, claiming she had been trying to contact a certain captain of the third division and consecutively receiving no response.

And Hitsugaya was getting increasingly moody.

It was becoming more and more difficult by the day to coax him out of Ichigo's room, where he would constantly do nothing all day in but stare blankly out the window. When the strawberry tried to speak to him or interest him in something other than staring into space, he would respond with little more than a nod, a shake of the head, or a frown of disapproval. Ichigo had assumed his soul was sick from being away from his zanpaku-to for so long, but Unohana had sent it back with Orihime, and it had already been returned to the child prodigy. His mood had improved, but only slightly so. There had to be something else on his mind.

And worse yet, there still was no news of Renji or Rukia.

"Toshiro."

No response.

"Toshiro!"

Still no response.

"You know, you can't keep ignoring me," the frustrated Ichigo frowned, peering into his bedroom doorway. "I know there's something bothering you. You've got to talk to me about it."

Hitsugaya did not answer. He didn't even bother to look away from the cloudless sky.

"Fine," Ichigo muttered, "But you'd better be ready to talk when I get back from school. Same deal, okay? Don't leave, don't let Rangiku-san leave, don't do anything suspicious, and if you need me, you know where to find me. I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Kurosaki, wait."

Surprised Hitsugaya had actually bothered to address him, he promptly turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything you need."

There was a brief pause before Hitsugaya turned away from the window to look at him.

"Kurosaki, please…Turn me in."

The strawberry blinked in confusion.

"I don't understand, Toshiro…What are you saying?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm saying," Hitsugaya answered plainly. "Soul Society isn't stupid. They'll find us soon enough. You know they will. And when they do…They _will_ kill you, Kurosaki. And this is unfair to Matsumoto as well. She'll suffer at their hands, too. This is your chance to earn redemption from my superiors. I am a wanted criminal, there's no doubt you and your friends will be cleansed of your ryoka status and welcomed with open arms in exchange for turning me in."

"No. I'm not going to."

"You said you'd do anything I asked you to do."

"That's different!" Ichigo insisted. "I can't promise you that. Listen, Toshiro. I know you're feeling guilty, but I'm not the kind of coward who would send you back there to die just to save my own skin, got it?"

"Kurosaki, I'm serious."

"I'm serious, too."

There was a long and uncomfortable silence.

"I'm going to be late for school," Ichigo muttered, turning away. "Please, Toshiro. You can't keep blaming yourself for everything. Nothing's your fault. After all, if it wasn't for you, I'd be long dead. I care about you. I already told you I'm not going to let them execute you."

"You're wrong. _Everything_ has always been my fault."

"Toshiro, stop it!"

"Don't play dumb with me, Kurosaki. You know it's true. You've been considering whether or not keeping me here is a good idea for a long time now."

"You…"

"And furthermore, I know that _you_ know what happened fifty years ago. Don't try telling me that wasn't my fault, either!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yes, you do! I _heard_ you talking to Matsumoto. Does the name 'Kusaka Sojiro' ring any bells in that dull mind of yours!? He was sentenced to death because of me, Kurosaki. Do not make me watch you die as well because of my own selfishness, because you supposedly 'care' about me. I'll tell you one more time to turn me in. And, by the way…I believe you've taken something of mine, and I would like it back. _Now_."

"I'm not changing me mind, Toshiro," Ichigo retorted angrily. "I've got to leave now. I'll see you later…And take your picture back, for all the good it's going to do you. It's not like I want it anyway." Without another word, he reached down into his pocket, producing the photograph, now crumpled, tossing it carelessly to the floor before he left the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving Hitsugaya to stare blankly at the space where he had been moments ago.

* * *

The school bell rang, signifying that classes for the day had come to a conclusion.

"See you later, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime called out, waving cheerfully. However, the strawberry did not respond, and slightly hurt, she lowered her hand.

"Sorry, Inoue. I'm just…thinking."

"Thinking?"

"Yeah. I need some time to think alone, so I'm going to take the long way home. When you pass my house, can you tell my dad I'm staying after class for extra practice? I don't want my sisters worrying or anything. You know how they are."

"S-Sure," Orihime answered uncertainly, glancing at her glum-looking fellow Karakura High student before hurrying out the door to catch up with Chad, who was also on his way out.

"Sado-kun, something's wrong with Kurosaki-kun…"

"I know."

There was a silence as the two walked across the schoolyard, exiting the campus and making their way down the pavement towards the direction of their homes.

All of a sudden, both of the students stopped dead in their tracks. Seemingly out of nowhere, a crushing reiatsu seemed to appear out of nowhere, hanging thick and heavy in the air. It was unlike anything either of them had ever felt before.

"It's coming from the right!" Orihime exclaimed. "It seems to be around…Around where Tatsuki practices her martial arts…"

Without another word, they ran off.

* * *

"Why won't he just do what's good for himself?" a frustrated Hitsugaya growled, angrily punching the strawberry's pillow. "If he was smart, then he'd listen to me. And that idiot ruined my photograph…"

He had spent the past hour or so trying to straighten out the crinkled sheet, but with no avail, and with a growl of irritation, he sullenly placed it on the mattress and stared at it as if willpower alone could cause it to fix itself.

"Really, that insolent strawberry needs to learn to take better care of other people's belongings…"

His words trailed off as he suddenly felt an extremely unusual and frightening reiatsu. The boy's eyes widened momentarily before he seized Hyorinmaru, pulling the strap over his shoulder. He knew Ichigo had instructed him not to leave the house, but whatever the case was, this reiatsu was dangerous. It reeked of bloodlust, and sheer evil. It was beyond a normal hollow.

He hurried out of Ichigo's room, spotting Matsumoto idling about in the hallway.

"Matsumoto!"

"Taichou, this reiatsu…"

"Stay here. Do not, on any condition, come after me."

"Taichou, where are you going?" she demanded, "If you're seen out there by a shinigami…"

"I don't care what happens. You are to stay here, and that is an absolute order. Do you understand?"

"Hai, taichou."

Without another word, Hitsugaya ran back into the bedroom, prying the window open and slipping out, leaping down and landing neatly on the pavement.

He closed his eyes briefly before reopening them again, getting himself a good sense as to where the reiatsu was coming from. The right. Good. Turning in the said direction, he hurried down the street, running as fast as his legs would permit.

"What in the world is going on?" he murmured to himself. The reiatsu had been so strong and so deadly that he knew Matsumoto would be in instant danger if she was to approach.

He stopped abruptly, arriving at a halt in front of what seemed to be a grassy lot. In the center of the lot was a large crater, the corpses of a few innocent civilians laying strewn about messily on the grass. Further forward stood a girl with long, orange hair, kneeling over a tall, dark-skinned male, who looked to be severely wounded.

Hitsugaya recognized them at once. But they were no who bothered him.

In front of the pair stood two figures, one large and brawny, the other tall and thin. Both were dressed in white garments, and Hitsugaya's eyes widened. Each had fragments of a hollow's mask still present on their faces, as well as the hollow hole, but they each had a zanpaku-to secured to their wastes.

They weren't hollows.

They weren't shinigami.

What exactly were they?

"Inoue Orihime!" Hitsugaya called, hurrying forward, "Take your friend and leave this place immediately! I will take over from here."

"Toshiro-kun?" the girl squeaked fearfully, looking up at him with teary eyes. "But…"

"You heard me. Run as far as you can."

"O-Okay…" Orihime stammered, struggling to lift the wounded Chad, supporting him by allowing him to place one arm around her shoulders. "Be careful. These people…"

"I know."

"I-I'll get Kurosaki-kun."

With that, she hurried away, trying to help Chad run with her as she did so.

"Ulquiorra, who's that?" the larger figure demanded, looking down at Hitsugaya with a look of utter contempt. "A shinigami, right?"

"Of course," his partner spoke. "Not just any shinigami, though. Take a closer look at the boy, Yammy."

Hitsugaya's hand flew to Hyorinmaru as his adversary, apparently called "Yammy," stared down at him with his beady eyes. "I don't get it," he grunted."

"You idiot," the one who had been addressed as Ulquiorra scoffed, "Don't you know anything? He's the tenth division captain, Hitsugaya Toshiro."

Hitsugaya's eyes widened.

_How did they know my name…?_

"Really? This kid? Well, what do we do, then?" Yammy demanded.

"Isn't it obvious? Even though it is not part of our immediate objective…We take him back with us to Hueco Mundo."

_Hueco Mundo? Isn't that where hollows live?_

"Who are you?" the white-haired boy demanded, unsheathing Hyorinmaru. "What business do you have here?"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. "You don't know who we are? I will tell you this once, boy…we are called Arrancar, and we are here to carry out the orders of Aizen-sama."

"Aizen…? He…He's dead…He was murdered…"

"Apparently you haven't been in Soul Society recently, have you?"

He barely had time to react in his confusion, seeing Yammy raise his ponderous hand, reaching out as if to grab him within his clutch.

"Soten ni zase! Hyorinmaru!"

Ice began to swirl around the blade of his katana, condensing into the familiar dragon of ice, which instantly set itself to slam directly into his attacker's outstretched arm, encasing it completely in ice.

"What's this?" Yammy grunted, staring at his hand.

The ice shattered.

"Hah! A lot _that_ did, shinigami! You're supposed to be a captain, aren't you? Well, is that all you've got!?"

Hitsugaya's blinked in shock. What was going on? Why hadn't Hyorinmaru been able to freeze his enemy into an "Arrancar" popsicle? How had he brushed the attack off so easily?

A split second later, he felt a heavy impact against his body, and the next thing he knew, he was face-down on the grass, his grasp loosening on his katana as it was knocked uselessly out of his hand, landing a few feet away. A small gasp of pain found its way past his lips. He coughed, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.

"Stop stalling, Yammy. Just take the boy."

Hitsugaya's eyes widened. Hyorinmaru was out of reach as with a manic grin, Yammy reached down again, his hand bearing down upon him like a hawk swooping down on its prey.

He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the impact.

It never came.

Cautiously, he opened his eyes.

Someone had intercepted the Arrancar just as he was about to snatch up the boy within his massive hands. This someone had his broad, long blade held out in front of him, blocking Yammy's hand in its path.

The white-haired boy's eyes widened again.

"K…Kurosaki…"

* * *

Author's Note: Yes, for thsoe of you who have noticed, this chapter was based off of altering the events that took place in Bleach Volume 22, when the Arrancar first arrive in Karakura Town. And obviously, since Hitsugaya and company were not present in Soul Society for a while, they are so far unaware of Aizen's betrayal and the fact that he, along with Ichimaru and Tosen, left Soul Society. Hence the part near the chapter's beginning when I mentioned Matsumoto was unable to contact Ichimaru.

Just clearing some things up. They will recieve notice of it later, as well, and I suppose you've figured out by now why Rukia and Renji didn't come with them to the real world.


	13. Besieged From All Sides

Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated this in a while. I've been pretty busy lately. And yes, for those of you who haven't noticed quite yet, I _do_ have a new story up, so you can go look at that if you want.

* * *

"Toshiro," Ichigo spoke slowly, "What are you doing out here?"

"I felt their reiatsu, and I couldn't just sit still," Hitsugaya replied in an annoyed fashion, "I did what I felt was most reasonable. Kurosaki, they were…"

"I thought I told you not to leave the house!" Ichigo shot back, turning to face Hitsugaya, and to his surprise, the young ex-captain felt his heart stop for a moment as he noticed the anger blazing in the strawberry's normally warm and relaxed eyes. "Why didn't you listen to me!?"

"I am not obliged to listen to you," Hitsugaya retorted icily. "You are _not_ my superior."

"I don't care! Did you even stop to think, Toshiro!? Did you!? You could have been seen by someone! You could have been arrested! Then what would you expect me to do!? For god's sake, you're a wanted criminal! You told me that yourself…I know you're not stupid. But this, Toshiro, was a _stupid_ thing to do."

"Criminal or not, you fail to remember that I am still a shinigami," Hitsugaya answered quietly, "My duty is to serve Soul Society and protect the world of the living. _This_ is what I traded my free will for, Kurosaki. Did you honestly expect me to wait for these two to suck out the souls of everyone in this area?"

Ichigo faltered, realizing that he was right, now feeling quite upset with himself over yelling at the boy like he had.

"I'm sorry," he muttered grudgingly, "But I just didn't want you to get caught. Look, I know this is important to you, but I just can't have you leaving whenever you want…"

"What the heck!?" Yammy demanded, startling Ichigo. "You're just going to try to ignore me now!?"

The next thing he knew, the orange-haired teen saw Yammy raise his hand again, ready to smash him. Of course. How had he been so stupid as to forget why he had come here in the first place? He had been so caught up in his brief argument with Hitsugaya that he had nearly forgotten about his opponents.

He promptly raised Zangetsu, letting forth a shout of "Bankai!" before regaining his composure, his reiatsu settling back down. Fortunately, caught of guard by Ichigo's sudden change in spiritual pressure, Yammy's fist stopped in its path.

Ichigo gave him no such quarter.

He was off in an instant, seeming to vanish straight into thin air, reappearing second later by the large Arrancar's shoulder, bringing Zangetsu downwards.

There was the sound of metal slashing through skin, tendon, muscle, and bone, and with a final heave, Ichigo had somehow managed to succeed in slicing off the arm of Yammy, who seemed completely unprepared and unexpectant of Ichigo's sudden retaliation.

"Y-You stinkin' cockroach!" the Arrancar choked out, blood spurting from the stump that was formerly his arm. "You're going to pay for that!"

With a sigh of slight irritation, Ulquiorra gave Yammy a disapproving glare. "Can't you tell, you dolt?" he muttered, "This one is our target. Just kill him and take the captain so we can leave already."

Ichigo blinked, turning to catch a quick glance at Hitsugaya.

There was no way he was going to let them take him away.

Only too eager to comply with Ulquiorra's orders, Yammy reached out again for Ichigo. With a sigh of contempt, Ichigo easily dodged the blow.

"You think that's going to work on me?" he demanded, "You're stupider than you look. If you don't want me to kill you, then you'd better try something else."

"Shut up! I don't need a stupid little shinigami to tell me what to do!"

With that said, Yammy raised his fist again, bringing it back to earth at a frighteningly rapid speed. Readying himself to dodge, Ichigo instantly determined the velocity of the attack, figuring that he had a quarter of a second or so to get the hell out of there.

Just as he was about to move, he felt a shock in the back of his mind, as if something, or someone was jerking at his consciousness. A split second later, he felt Yammy's fist make contact with the side of his body, slamming him to the ground.

"Shit," he muttered to himself in panic, trying with no avail to get back to his feet. "Why can't I move? It's like my body is refusing to follow my orders…"

He blinked, a realization coming over him.

"That…goddamn hollow…" he hissed through gritted teeth, frantically rubbing at his temples, trying to expel the presence of his unwanted visitor. "Go away…"

Nothing happened.

_Go away! Go away! Please…Go the hell away! Why are you doing this to me!? I won't let you out, so you're going to try and force me to!? Is that it, you freaking hollow!? Go away…_

Yammy took another swipe at him, grinning from ear to ear as he knocked the strawberry a good five feet away, and his body hit the ground with considerable impact.

With a yelp of pain, Ichigo tried to shift himself to minimize the damage of what would most likely be a rough landing, but it was useless. He couldn't move at all, and though he was trying to will himself as hard as he could to get up off of the ground, no matter what he did, his body simply would not comply.

"K-Kurosaki!" a frantic and confused Hitsugaya gasped, his eyes widening. "What the hell are you doing!? Why aren't you trying to dodge his attacks!?"

"I…I can't…" Ichigo choked out, coughing blood onto the earth, the scarlet liquid dripping from his lips disrupting the usual color of the green grass.

"What do you mean!?" Hitsugaya shouted, running to Ichigo's side, flinging his arms around the defenseless substitute shinigami without so much as a second thought, trying desperately to pull him to his feet and out of harm's way. "Why can't you!?"

"I just can't!"

"That's not a sufficient answer, Kurosaki!"

"Well, that's not my fault, is it!?"

"Don't interfere, kid," Yammy snarled, advancing upon Hitsugaya, whose grip instinctively tightened around Ichigo's body, his fingers clenching the material of the orange-haired teen's shihakusho tightly. "Don't be impatient. I'll deal with you after I'm done killing this guy."

"S-Stay away from him!" Hitsugaya choked out through the dread slowly welling up inside his chest. Naturally, Yammy didn't listen, only coming closer and closer. Panicked, the white-haired boy promptly raised his hand, and there was a flash of light.

The kido spell he had cast made contact with its target, though the Arrancar's iron skin prevented it from inflicting its maximum amount of damage. It did, however, leave a long, smoldering scar across his adversary's chest.

"You little brat!" Yammy roared, and with a swift swing of the arm, sent Hitsugaya sprawling across the grass, blood streaming down from the side of his face.

"T-Toshiro!" Ichigo spluttered, watching in horror as his small body hit the ground. "You freaking bastard!" he accused angrily, turning to look at Yammy.

"Don't call me names," Yammy snorted, "It's not very nice. Do you kiss your little taichou-san with that potty mouth of yours?"

"Hurry up, Yammy," Ulquiorra muttered impatiently. "You're taking way too long."

"You son of a..."

Before Ichigo could finish responding, he saw Yammy's hand descending for yet another attack. He couldn't move out of the way, as his body was still rigid and immobile. He felt the Arrancar's hand clenching around his body, constricting him, hearing – and feeling – at least two ribs snapping in the process.

"Leave him _alone_!"

Hitsugaya, who had managed to crawl to the site where he had dropped Hyorinmaru, was now pointing the katana at Yammy's head.

The Arrancar merely stared at him blankly.

"Let go of him," Hitsugaya demanded, his voice trembling. He knew very well that attacking to help Ichigo at the moment would be extremely risky. Not only would he convert the Arrancar into a deep-freeze, but in addition, there was a high possibility that Ichigo would be caught up in such an attack as well. He would just have to bluff and distract him as long as possible until he could think of something better to try.


	14. Against the Grain

Author's Note: Whoo! Chapter 14! After this chapter, the story will shift back into the main line. There _was_ a purpose for this fight occuring though, as you will find out next chapter.

* * *

Clenching the katana tightly, Hitsugaya continued to point its blade at Yammy, who stared blankly back, Ichigo still trapped in his massive hand.

_Maybe,_ Hitsugaya thought, his mind racing furiously. The child prodigy was at work. _Maybe I can try attacking him from the side. One arm has been cut off, and the other is occupied, so he'll have to let go of Kurosaki to defend himself…And then I guess we will have to improvise from there. _

He wasn't sure if such a simple tactic would work against such a strong enemy, but he would have to try. He had little more options left, and besides, there was still the other Arrancar standing at the side to consider. Even though he hadn't bothered to attack, judging by his spiritual pressure, any fool could see that he was stronger than Yammy by at least tenfold.

His grip on Hyorinmaru tightening, Hitsugaya moved out.

Using shunpo, he swiftly made his way to the empty space by Yammy's left, lighting on his broad shoulder easily, swinging his katana downwards. Surprised, the large Arrancar's grip on Ichigo loosened, allowing the strawberry to wriggle free, dropping down onto the grass.

"You little brat!" Yammy snarled, his arm moving upwards to parry the blow, effectively blocking the katana with his tough skin, catching Hitsugaya by the wrist.

"Don't underestimate me," he snarled, "You think a little trick like that's going to work on me? Are you really a captain or not? Maybe we shouldn't take him back after all, Ulquiorra. He's useless!"

"He's holding back," Ulquiorra stated with a glance at Yammy, "So stop messing around. Let's hurry up and leave before he kills you. Tear off his limbs if you have to. Breaking him in half like a toothpick would be child's play for you, but let us not forget, that we want him back alive."

Ichigo would have moved to the young ex-captain's defense, but he was still unable to execute his own movements. He could feel the motion slowly returning to his body, but he was fighting for control nonetheless.

"Let go of me," Hitsugaya hissed through gritted teeth, "You are _not_ taking me _anywhere._"

"And why is that, eh, little shinigami?"

Hitsugaya found no reason to answer. Yammy only had one arm left, and that arm was now occupied restraining him. As for himself, he had a free arm, and attacking would be only too easy.

The white-haired boy reached forward, and with a flick of his fingers, easily tossed Hyorinmaru to his free hand. Swinging himself upwards, he directed a kick at the Arrancar's face.

Surprised, Yammy instantly moved his head back to avoid the blow.

"Humph," Hitsugaya scoffed, "Idiot."

He swung Hyorinmaru, drawing the blade across his opponent's neck in a swift, sudden movement. Yammy's tough skin was the only thing that saved his life. The wound had missed the artery Hitsugaya had been aiming for only by a hair's width, a fountain of blood spurting into the air, sending crimson droplets everywhere.

Ichigo's eyes widened, and even Ulquiorra looked alarmed, though only slightly so.

"Wow," the strawberry breathed. Watching Hitsugaya fight was something all on its own. He had been thinking at least two steps ahead the whole time, coordinating his body to move in accordance to these plans. He made it seem like a game. With his small size and light weight, he held a crucial advantage over Yammy: He was much more flexible, light on his feet, nimble, and in consequence, much faster. He had purposely acted like he was about to kick him in the face so that he would dodge, manipulating him into just the right position that left the neck prone to attack.

"Y-You little…You little bitch!" Yammy choked out. Blood streamed down the front of his attire as he tightened his grip on Hitsugaya's wrist, drawing out a small gasp of pain from the boy.

Swinging his arm viciously forward, he sent Hitsugaya slamming into the ground, not giving the boy a chance to catch the breath that seemed to have been knocked right out of him before planting a foot on his body, pinning him down to the ground, his other foot giving the shinigami's hand a vicious kick, knocking Hyorinmaru a good ten feet away.

"R-Run for it, Kurosaki!" Hitsugaya choked out, straining feebly against his adversary's monstrous foot. "Run as fast as you can!"

"Toshiro…"

"Are you deaf!? I told you to run!"

"But…"

"I'll be fine, so hurry and get out of here, Kurosaki!"

Ichigo looked from the grinning Yammy, to the apathetic Ulquiorra, and then down to the frantic-looking Hitsugaya. Zangetsu in hand, he knew that there was no way he could do as he was asked and run. Here, Hitsugaya was defenseless, trapped, and about to get his lungs crushed. He had willingly risked life and limb to save him, so was he supposed to return the favor by running away to save his own skin?

He couldn't, no matter how hard the white-haired boy was pleading with him to escape. He had already been saved by him before, which had ended in drastic consequences for him, and he was not about to let him get hurt again on account of his own selfishness.

What was the point of being named "Ichigo" if he couldn't protect anyone?

He would have to buy himself some time. Just enough so that he would be able to regain full control of his body.

He knew that his legs were back to normal. He could move them just fine, so running away like Hitsugaya asked would be no problem. But he'd have to wait for the movement to come back to his arms so he could attack.

"Huh?" Yammy grunted, staring blankly at Ichigo. "What's he doing, just standing there?"

"It doesn't matter," Ulquiorra muttered as with a flick of the wrist, he easily opened up a garangata, seeming to tear the space behind him open. "Take the kid and let's go, Yammy."

"Eh!? But, weren't we supposed to kill the other one!?"

"Like I said, it doesn't matter. He's not worth the effort. We're leaving."

"Whatever," the larger Arrancar shrugged, leaning downwards and snatching Hitsugaya off the ground and slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Put me _down_, you bastard!" Hitsugaya demanded, struggling wildly but to no avail. "Let me go this instant!"

"Shut it, will you? You're yelling right in my ear and it kind of hurts," Yammy grunted.

Ichigo watched in horror as the two Arrancar began to step through the gaping black rip in the air. They were getting away, and he was letting them.

Just a little more…

…There.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!?" Ichigo demanded, feeling the motion returning to his arms as he snatched up Zangetsu, charging straight for the garangata, which was closing itself at an alarmingly rapid rate. Desperate, he thrust the blade of his zanpaku-to through the opening, willing with all his might for something, anything, to happen.

"Where does it look like?" Ulquiorra scoffed, "We're…"

His words trailed off as his emerald eyes blinked in alarm. The dimension within the garangata was dissolving with an awful screeching sound, exposing them back into the material world.

"What the heck!? What in blue hell's going on!?" Yammy demanded, looking around wildly, the dimensional passage now completely gone. Even Hitsugaya, who was still slung sloppily over his shoulder, looked surprised, his wide teal eyes flickering upwards to try and catch sight of the strawberry.

In a flash, Ichigo was next to Yammy, striking out at his remaining arm. With a grunt of alarm, the Arrancar dodged, but too slowly.

With a swing of Zangetsu, Yammy's other arm was dismembered as well, Hitsugaya falling to the floor as he was released. Ichigo shot forward, catching the smaller boy before he could hit the ground, pulling him close to his chest.

"You…You little…" Yammy choked, his face contorted with fury.

"Shut up," Ichigo snapped, "You're done for. You have no way to fight back."

"Perhaps I should take over," Ulquiorra scoffed, looking up at Yammy. "You seem to be having quite some trouble with these two."

"Shut up, Ulquiorra!" Yammy shouted. "Who said I was done with them!?"

He opened his mouth, and presently, a bright orb of red light began materializing among his teeth.

"A cero…!?" Ichigo muttered, "Shit…"

The flash of red light made its way forward, ready to engulf both of them and vaporize them into little more than ashes. There was no time to dodge at this range.

Squeezing his eyes shut, his grip around Hitsugaya tightening as if trying to shield him from the deadly blast, the strawberry braced himself for impact.

It never came.

As he slowly opened his eyes, Ichigo nearly choked on his own saliva upon catching sight of a pair of clogs and a hat striped in green and white, along with a second figure dressed primarily in orange.

"U-Urahara!? And…And Yoruichi-san!?"


	15. Stranded

Author's Note: Sorry, this chapter is pretty cheesy. Yuck. Forgive me and don't kill me for my lack of writing skills. And by the way, there are only five more chapters left in the story! Yay! But don't worry, because after it's over, at least you'll get to see what happens next in _Snowing Over Karakura_, right?

* * *

"Sorry we're a tad late, Kurosaki-san," Urahara announced in the standard, sing-song voice as he cheerfully adjusted his hat, Benihime in hand. "Now, go ahead and take Hitsugaya-san somewhere safe. We'll take over from here."

"O-Okay," Ichigo stammered, hastily getting to his feet, a surprised-looking Hitsugaya still in his arms. He gave the pair a final glance before hurrying off, heading for his home.

"You alright, Toshiro?" he asked as he ran along the pavement.

"I'm fine. But you…"

"I'm fine too," the strawberry insisted firmly, though he knew he was far from it. He had no idea how many bones in his body were broken, how many muscles had been torn, or how many wounds he had sustained. All he knew was that it hurt like hell, but he wasn't about to start feeling sorry for himself now, of all times. Hitsugaya was hurt.

"Put me down, Kurosaki. You're in no condition to be carrying me around like luggage."

"I'm perfectly fine!"

"No, you are not. Put me down this instant or you will be sorry."

"Man, do we _have_ to go through this again?" Ichigo muttered with a roll of his eyes, "C'mon, Toshiro, can't you just be a good boy for once?"

"No!"

"Oh, well…We're almost there, anyways…Look, my house is right there."

Sure enough, they were at the front door in only a few strides more. Hurriedly, Ichigo opened the door, closing it behind him and locking it as he hurried through the kitchen and towards the staircase.

As he passed through the living room, he spotted Karin, who looked up and seemed to be staring directly at him, an expression of confusion on her face. Ichigo hurried right by. After all, it wasn't like she could see him…right?

He dashed into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him, depositing Hitsugaya on the rug, panting to catch his breath as he flopped down on the bed.

"Kurosaki," Hitsugaya scolded, "Now look. You've overdone yourself. I _told_ you to put me down, didn't I?"

"Shut up," Ichigo scowled, rolling over on his side. "I'm…Huh? What're you doing?"

As he had been speaking, Hitsugaya had quietly made his way to the bedside, kneeling next to him, placing a hand on one of the many wounds he had sustained.

"What does it look like?" he demanded as his dainty hand presently began to glow in a pale light, engulfing the injuries.

"Toshiro…"

"I told you to shut up."

Ichigo actually complied this time. He was too exhausted to say anything else anyway. As his wounds began to heal, he could slowly feel his mind beginning to slip into subconsciousness, and then into unconsciousness.

"You idiot," Hitsugaya murmured as he finally finished, standing up and pulling the blankets on the bed over Ichigo's body with a frown. "It's rude to lose conciousness when someone's talking to you."

At that moment, the door behind him opened, revealing his fukutaichou, whose face appeared to be quite pale.

"Matsumoto…?"

"Taichou, I-I'm sorry…"

"What are you talking about?" Hitsugaya demanded, turning away from Ichigo to look up at his assistant captain.

"There's someone who wants to see you," she muttered quietly. "He's outside behind this building."

Confused, Hitsugaya rose to his feet, moving across the room. "Alright," he answered, "Then I'll be trusting you to watch over Kurosaki until I return."

"Yes, sir."

Hitsugaya made his way out from Ichigo's bedroom and down the flight of stairs, exiting the residence, pausing for a moment as he headed around back. He could feel a familiar reiatsu coming from the indicated area, and his eyes widened as he realized who it was.

By the time he had made his way around the building and caught sight of his visitor, he had already figured out, unmistakenably, who had business with him.

"S-Sotaichou…"

"It's been a while, Hitsugaya-taichou," Yamamoto spoke gravely. "I suppose you're wondering how we found you."

"Why are you addressing me like this? I am no longer a captain the Gotei 13…"

"…Or so you think," the sotaichou interrupted. "Anyways, allow me to explain. Finding you was too easy. It was foolish of you to allow your reiatsu to be so easily felt. We are aware, though, that you had no choice, as you were fighting a powerful adversary. Those two you were fighting earlier…Do you know who they were sent by?"

Hitsugaya blinked. "They said something about Aizen…"

"Correct. It is good that you have not lost your intelligence since you left Soul Society. However, you and Matsumoto-fukutaichou were not the only ones who left. During your absence, Aizen-taichou, Tosen-taichou, and Ichimaru-taichou attacked Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia. It was then that we discovered their traitorous nature, and they left in the escort of several Menos."

"What?" Hitsugaya murmured. "They…They betrayed us?"

"Yes," Yamamoto nodded, "It is evident that their destination was Hueco Mundo, and from there they intend on taking down Soul Society. As such, our manpower has already been cut down, and we cannot afford to lose anymore if we are to stand up to this threat. I have already explained to Matsumoto-fukutaichou, but in case she has not told you yet, Central 46 has determined that the death sentence will be removed from both Kuchiki Rukia and yourself."

"So, you're saying that…"

"Yes, you have been cleared of all charges," Yamamoto answered. "As for the ryoka, it has become evident that they are not our enemies, as they were fighting to defend this town against those two attackers. However, they may still prove to be a threat. As such, Hitsugaya-taichou, I have reinstalled your commanding position, and I also have a deal to propose with you in exchange for this."

"Thank you, sotaichou," Hitsugaya replied with a bow, looking back up to meet the old man's eyes with his own. "What is it you want from me?"

"You will be granted full clemency for the crimes you committed," the sotaichou continued, "And your taichou rank will be returned to you. Also, the ryoka you ran away with will not be harmed, and neither will the others. No charges will come to Matsumoto-fukutaichou, either. However, I have one condition."

"And, sotaichou, may I be so bold as to ask what this condition is?"

Yamamoto looked at the white-haired boy directly in the eyes. "You must swear that you will never involve yourself with this ryoka ever again. You are not to see him, speak with him, or make any kind of contact with him, do you understand?"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened. This was beginning to sound terribly familiar to him. At this thought, he began to feel somewhat faint. It was happening to him again.

"_We promise that no harm will come to you or Kusaka Sojiro, and you will be forgiven for your actions…But in exchange, the two of you must never see or contact each other again."_

_Hitsugaya had been only too willing to comply, too frightened of what would happen to Kusaka if he refused._

_But they had been lying all along. Despite their promises, Kusaka had been executed._

"Is there something wrong, Hitsugaya-taichou?" Yamamoto demanded.

"N-No," Hitsugaya stammered, promptly jerking himself back into the present.

"Well?"

His heart was racing. He didn't know what to do. It was a lose-lose situation. Either way, something bad would come out of it. If he refused, he was certain that Ichigo and the others would be killed on the spot. If he consented, then he would lose his free will again, and there was no telling if Ichigo and the others really would be safe. However, refusing would be too selfish of him. Matsumoto would be in trouble, too.

"A-Alright, sotaichou," he murmured, "I will do as you ask me."

"Good," Yamamoto nodded in approval. "Very well. You may go back inside to fetch Matsumoto-fukutaichou and your zanpaku-to now. Come right out. I will be waiting for you our here, as we are to return to Soul Society immediately to prepare for the upcoming obstacles."

"Hai, sotaichou."

His heart sinking, Hitsugaya hurried back indoors, moving up the stairs back into the bedroom, where Matsumoto was obediently keeping watch over Ichigo, who still had not regained consciousness quite yet.

"We're leaving, Matsumoto," he ordered.

"Hai, taichou," Matsumoto answered, standing up, making her way towards the door.

"Go on first," Hitsugaya spoke, his back turned to her. "There's something I need to do."

"Yes, sir," Matsumoto murmured, heading off. She knew what her captain was thinking. It must have been hard on him to have to hear the same news he had years ago, and to think that the consequences would be painfully similar.

As soon as she was gone, Hitsugaya cautiously took a step towards the motionless form of Ichigo, peering quietly at his face.

He seemed quite pleased with himself, despite the fact that he was bruised, battered, bleeding, and unconscious.

"Thank you, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya whispered, as if he was actually listening. "I…I'm sorry."

Slowly, he unpinned the small gold brooch from the green sash that held his katana over his shoulder. He gently took Ichigo's hand, uncurling his fingers and pressing the brooch into his palm, closing his fingers back over it.

He held onto his hand for just a moment longer, reluctant to let go, but he knew he had to. He knew very well that this was probably the last time he would see the strawberry. But it was best that he was unconscious. Otherwise, he most likely would have resisted and it would have ended badly.

With a small sigh, Hitsugaya withdrew his hand, turning away and walking towards the door.

"Goodbye."


	16. Coral Sea

Author's Note: Yes, I know Soul Society and the sotaichou all sound like meanie poopoo heads, but if you really think about it, I suppose that actually _would_ be best for Soul Society as a whole to pull Hitsugaya back in, though in our perspective, it's sheer cruelty!

By the way, there are three more chapters until this fic ends! Wow, it's gone by really fast, right?

* * *

When Ichigo opened his eyes, the sun had already set and risen again.

"Man," he muttered, shaking his throbbing head to rid himself of the headache, "How long have I been laying here? I wonder if Toshiro…"

His voice trailed off as a realization hit him.

He couldn't feel Hitsugaya's icy reiatsu at all.

As he clenched his fists, he felt something in his left hand. He uncurled his fingers, looking down into his palm to see the brooch that had been left there. He knew who it belonged to.

"Toshiro…" he whispered, his eyes widening. "No…You couldn't have…"

He shot straight out of bed, concentrating hard. Not a single trace of reiatsu from neither Hitsugaya nor Matsumoto seemed to be present.

His heart was pounding. He was hoping that Hitsugaya and Matsumoto hadn't left, but he knew that they most likely had. Otherwise, he would be able to feel their reiatsu, and Hitsugaya would not have left the brooch with him. There was only one explanation for this.

They had been taken back to Soul Society.

"No…" he muttered to himself, frantic. "No, this isn't happening…"

Had they been captured? Had they been arrested?

If that was the case, then why did Hitsugaya have the time to stop by and give him the item he was clenching tightly in his hand?

Had he chosen to leave on purpose?

"Toshiro…Why did you leave…?"

As he made his way quickly into the living room, he was stopped as Karin suddenly looked up, addressing him abruptly.

"Ichi-nii."

"Karin? What is it?"

"You're looking for that boy, right? The boy in the black kimono that you were carrying into your room yesterday?"

"Wh-What boy?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly, a fake smile of amusement on his face. "I'm not looking for anyone. I'm just…"

"Don't lie to me, Ichi-nii. I _saw_ you two," Karin snapped. "Who is he? Is he another one of those…shinigami?"

The orange-haired teen froze in his tracks. "I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, trying to brush the subject off. "You were probably dreaming…"

"That was his," Karin interrupted, pointing at the brooch Ichigo still held in his hand. "I saw it pinned to that green thing on his shoulder."

"Karin, what were you eating last night?"

"Shut up!" his little sister retorted angrily. "You're not fooling _anyone_, Ichi-nii! Stop faking it! You think I don't know anything, right!? I've seen you, fighting those monsters in that black kimono. And then you left for a really long time and you only just came back last week! And those wounds…They aren't normal…"

"Karin, I'm sorry," Ichigo muttered, "I promise I'll explain everything to you later. Yuzu and Dad, too. But for now, did you see that boy leave?"

Karin nodded. "Yeah," she answered, "He left with a strawberry-blonde lady and an old dude."

"Where were they!?"

"Outside, back there."

Without waiting for any further reply, Ichigo dashed off past Karin, running through the kitchen and towards the door.

"Ichigo!" Isshin called out cheerfully from his position at the breakfast table, "Good morning! What's the rush? It's not like you're going to be late for school or anything…"

Ichigo completely ignored him. He only had one thing on his mind. He ran out through the front door, hurrying around the building's back.

He stopped, panting.

There was no sign of a single shinigami presence.

He could still feel a slight rupture in the area's spiritual composition. Most likely, this had been caused by a dimensional gate opening. But the shift was blurry, and it was already nearly done settling back to normal. They must have already left a long time ago.

"Nii-chan, is everything okay?" Yuzu asked, hurrying to the scene, still clutching a soup ladle in her hand as she caught sight of her older brother standing there, staring quietly at the empty space in front of him.

Ichigo did not answer.

"Onii-chan, come inside. It's time for breakfast."

"I'm…not hungry right now."

"But, Onii-chan, I made all sorts of things you like…"

"Sorry," Ichigo muttered, "But I really don't want any. I…I guess I'll go to school early today."

He went back indoors, got dressed, and got the things he needed for school together. These actions were all done in a hazy blur. He felt as if he had been thrown underwater and was being watched by hundreds of people who expected him to instantly adapt.

His gloomy attitude seemed to follow him, all the way to school, even.

He could tell that people were staring at him. He wasn't making much effort to look somewhat cheerful at all. He couldn't concentrate on his schoolwork. His mind would drift from the meaningless letters and numbers on his paper and float somewhere out the window, as if part of him still desperately wanted to go back outside and keep searching.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked him, approaching after class had let out. Even though the bell had rung, she had noticed that Ichigo hadn't made any effort whatsoever to start putting his things away.

"Good morning, Inoue," the strawberry answered absently.

Orihime could tell at once that something wasn't right.

"Kurosaki-kun," she continued, "It's already the afternoon. Is something wrong?"

"No. Not really."

"How are Rangiku-san and Toshiro-kun doing?"

There was a pause.

"I don't know."

Orihime blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I don't know."

"I don't understand what you're…"

"Look, it's none of your business," Ichigo snapped, standing up and angrily shoving his papers and books into his book bag. "Why do you even care?"

"Toshiro-kun saved Chad and I," Orihime insisted, "…Did something happen to him?"

"It doesn't concern you," the orange-haired teen retorted angrily, picking up his bag and shoving past Orihime. "Don't talk to me right now. I'm busy." With those words, he walked out the classroom door at a rapid pace, as if he was in a hurry to be somewhere.

"K-Kurosaki-kun…"

As he stormed down the street, Ichigo was mentally kicking himself. He had really been a big jerk back there, yelling at Orihime like that just because she was worried about him. Besides, he didn't even know why he was so mad.

"Toshiro…why the heck did you leave?" he asked aloud, his hand reaching into his back pocket, where he had safely tucked the brooch.

A sudden thought hit him.

Had he gone back by his own will or not, Hitsugaya was still in danger. After all, he _had_ been a wanted criminal with a bounty on his head and a death sentence to answer to. Even if, for some reason, he wasn't about to be executed…

Ichigo had noticed that recently, there had been a change in Hitsugaya. The ice had seemed to melt away somewhat from his eyes, his voice, and his personality. He hadn't been so cold in his speech or treatment of him lately, but he knew very well that he could change again, back into the soulless, empty doll he had been when they had first met and fought. It was apparent that this had been brought about by his superiors, all of whom were manipulating him with words, threats, and the like.

He didn't want that to happen.

He didn't want Hitsugaya to become a mere puppet for the sotaichou. He was a taichou, wasn't he? Shouldn't he have the right to live his own life?

At that moment, there was a sudden surge of spiritual energy. Alarmed, Ichigo spun around, looking up into the sky, his chocolate eyes scanning the blue canvas for abnormalities.

"This reiatsu…" he murmured, "It's them. It's those Arrancar again…"

The shift had been strong, but not immediate. That meant that they were not nearby, let alone in the same dimension, but it was evident that they were moving. Moving where, though?

The sound of the sky tearing open was enough to answer to him.

Several figures appeared in the blue expanse, looking downwards at the town as if they were taking their pick of which souls they wanted to snack on.

However, he could feel several other extremely strong reiatsu moving through the separate dimension. They showed no signs of slowing down, so it wasn't like their objective was the real world.

His eyes widened.

"Shit…They're headed for Soul Society!"

The ones that had appeared in Karakura were merely a diversion. They most likely would not be too powerful so that someone at Chad, Ishida, or maybe even Orihime's level could defeat them.

He took off at a run, going in the opposite direction. He was in luck. Within moments, he spotted Orihime, Chad, and Ishida, all of whom were staring up into the sky.

"Ishida! Chad! Inoue! You three, can you take care of those guys up there?"

"Of course, Kurosaki," Ishida scoffed, adjusting his glasses. "Who do you think we are?"

"Good," Ichigo answered hurriedly, "Then I'll leave this to you guys."

"Where are you going, Ichigo?" Chad asked, and Orihime nodded as if to ask the same question.

"I'm going back to Soul Society."


	17. All the Way North

Author's Note: I made a mistake in the last Author's Note..._Now_ is when there's only three chapters left. Sorry about that, but to clear up any confusion, I'm stopping at chapter twenty.

"_This is an emergency notice! Repeat, this is an emergency notice! Several Arrancar have appeared within the Seireitei and the Rukongai! All captains are to take the following actions immediately: Division two is to spread out around the gate to block of enemy circulation. Divisions three, five, and six are to move to the Rukongai immediately to protect the souls there. Division four is to stay where it is and dispatch medical units as necessary. The rest of the divisions are to defend the Seireitei. Several Espada-level Arrancar are scattered throughout the tenth and eleventh division districts! All units are to eliminate these enemies as soon as possible."_

"Arrancar?" Hitsugaya breathed, snatching Hyorinmaru from his desk and throwing the sash over his shoulder. He hadn't even returned to Soul Society for a full day and already, they were under attack. He had been briefed at a captain's meeting on the different types of Arrancar and the emergency procedures to undergo if one was to appear, but he hadn't been expecting it to happen so soon.

"Taichou! What do we do…?"

"I'll send combat units out to surround the area," Hitsugaya murmured, "But I want you to stay here, Matsumoto, and take charge of the immediate area. I need you to maintain the communication connections between my sections and send reinforcements to the divisions that need them."

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to fight."

Matsumoto blinked. "Taichou!" she protested, "You can't go out alone! You'll be killed!"

"What of it?" Hitsugaya retorted icily. "It won't make a difference. I am as good as dead right now anyway."

"Taichou…"

"I'm heading out now. I'm counting on you, Matsumoto."

"Yes, sir."

Hitsugaya departed his office at these words, a hell butterfly following so that he could communicate with the other segments of his division. The truth was, he had no intention on allowing any of his subordinates to fight Espada. He knew it was hopeless for them, and most likely, himself as well. But he was thinking, at least he could weaken them enough so that his subordinates would be able to finish them off later.

"Section five, what is your status?" he demanded, turning to the hell butterfly.

There was a brief pause before he heard a response.

"We have engaged an enemy! We…We believe it may be an Espada!"

"What is your position?"

"Fifteenth north district!"

"Alright," Hitsugaya muttered. "Surround the enemy and don't let him escape! I'm coming, so hold out as best as you can until I arrive."

"Y-Yes…Yes sir…"

"What's wrong?"

"There are three of them now…"

"What!?"

There was a scream, and then silence.

"Shit," Hitsugaya hissed, quickening his pace as he shunpo'd through the tenth division's domain, lighting on the rooftops before jumping to the next.

Within moments, he stopped, seeing three Arrancar below, and his panicking subordinates in shaky ring around them. He glanced to the left. Already, there were several dead bodies strewn across the floor.

He dropped down from the top of the building he had been standing on and into the center of the ring, turning to face his subordinates.

"All of you!" he ordered, "Get away from this place! Run as fast as you can! Take out the weaker enemies if you can…I'll do my best with these three."

His subordinates stared at him in mute shock. None of them budged.

It was unusual for their captain to show any concern for their safety whatsoever. They were all rather appalled, wondering why their captain was asking them to run.

"B-But taichou…We can't leave you here…"

"Did you not hear me!? I said for you to run!"

"But…"

"I'll be fine, so run! That is an absolute order!"

"H-Hai, taichou…"

Ad his subordinates fled the scene, Hitsugaya looked up, his eyes moving from each Arrancar's face to the next, his hand on the hilt of Hyorinmaru.

"Well, well, what do we have here? A little captain, eh? He's got some pretty decent reiatsu."

"I call dibs on him."

"Hey, that's not fair!"

"That's perfectly fair! You're just too slow."

"I say we split him into three equal parts. Then we all get a share."

"I agree!"

"Fine, fine, whatever…"

Hitsugaya stared intently at the three in front of him through teal eyes under furrowed brows. They weren't even taking him seriously. They were merely having a casual conversation as if they were not concerned about him attacking them at all.

"Ah, pardon me, how rude of us," one of the Arrancar spoke, turning to Hitsugaya with an unpleasantly smug grin. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. I am the eleventh Arrancar, _numero once_, Shawlong Qufang."

"_Espada Numero Seis_," the second Arrancar, the shortest one out of the three spoke, "In other words, I'm number six, Luppi."

"And," the largest of the three grinned, stepping forward, "I'm _Numero Diez_, Yammy, the tenth Arrancar! It's good to see you again, little juuban tai taichou!"

"A taichou? How lovely."

"Looks like we've picked a good one."

With a scoff, Hitsugaya reached upwards to unsheathe his katana. "It seems you already know who I am," he spoke, "But I will tell you anyways. As previously mentioned, I am the tenth division taichou, Hitsugaya Toshiro."

"Big name for a little kid," the one who identified himself as Luppi snorted. "Well, little taichou, we're all quite eager to have that soul of yours, so, shall we get started?"

Hitsugaya did not answer. He was too busy focusing and trying to think out a strategy such that one lone captain could take on two Espada and one other Arrancar that was at least an Adjuchas or Gillian.

_The eleventh one is, by definition, not as strong as the other two,_ he thought to himself, his mind racing almost as fast as his heart, _And from previous experience, I'm assuming that the tenth Arrancar relies mostly on brute strength to fight. He is exceptionally strong, but slow and stupid. The sixth might be trouble, though…Then I'll take out this Qufang guy and that Yammy Arrancar first, and I'll keep an eye out for the other one's fighting technique and try to figure out a way to counter it while I'm fighting the rest. I'll use my shikai when I see an opening or a weak spot in their defenses, and I'd like to avoid using my bankai if possible, but I may be forced to release it. _

With that in mind, he gave the group of Arrancar no time to prepare themselves as he shunpo'd forwards, towards whom he perceived to be the weakest.

Qufang was hasty in drawing his sword such that he would avoid being cleaved into halves by Hitsugaya's katana. Metal met metal with a loud, metallic screech.

"Is that the best you've got, little taichou-san?" he smirked, pushing downwards on his blade, hard, Hitsugaya fighting to maintain his stance.

"Man, so what do we do now?" Yammy grunted.

"Just wait," Luppi shrugged, "That little kid will be done for in a few minutes. All we have to do is sit back and enjoy the show."

Using shunpo again, Hitsugaya maneuvered his way to the Arrancar's backside, startling his enemy and causing him to nearly lose balance. He took a swing at the back of his neck, and as expected the blow was parried easily. As Qufang swung his sword back at him in retaliation, the young prodigy leapt back, landing on the ground a small distance away.

"Soten ni zase! Hyorinmaru!"

With a downwards swing of his katana, he sent the ice dragon hurling at his opponent, managing to encase him in a layer of ice, throwing the bladed chain that had appeared on the end of his katana forward.

"Your little ice cube is useless against me," Qufang scoffed, shattering the ice that had trapped him with a single movement of his arm. "You should know better, little captain. Don't disappoint me."

"You haven't noticed?" Hitsugaya inquired smugly.

"Noticed what?"

"Apparently you haven't," the white-haired boy scoffed. "Then I suppose I'll show you."

He gave his chain a hard jerk, and alarmed, Qufang was dragged forward along with it. The bewildered Arrancar looked down to see the chain wound tightly around his arm, several deep gashes in it from the crescent moon blade.

"Hyorinmaru freezes anything it comes in contact with at my will, and this includes not only the blade, but also, the chain and the additional blade fixed to the said chain," Hitsugaya announced as-a-matter-of-factly, facing his opponent. "Since the chain's blade has cut you in several places, it has come in contact with your veins and blood cells in the process. As we speak, ice is spreading through your veins, and your cells are being killed, one by one…"

Sure enough, the Arrancar was being frozen inside-out. Panicking, he jerked the chain off of its arm and threw it aside.

"It's too late," Hitsugaya informed him. "You're finished." Taking the chance while Qufang was still overcome with panic and confusion, Hitsugaya struck, slamming his katana through the Arrancar's throat. With a final thrust, he severed the Arrancar's neck, his head falling uselessly to the ground, an expression of agony frozen grotesquely into his features as his corpse shattered into thousands of icy shards.

"One down," Hitsugaya said softly, looking up at his remaining opponents, both of whom seemed slightly stunned at the young captain's easy disposal of their comrade, "Two to go."


	18. Tornado

Author's Note: Whoo, another update! Only two chapters left! Now, I have a question for all of you guys. Would you like to see a sad ending, or a happy ending? Since you've all been so patient with me, I shall now repay your kindness by allowing _you_ to pick the story type! If "sad" gets more votes by the time I check the reviews for next chapter, then a sad ending it will be, and vice-versa for "happy." If no one participates...Then I'll randomly choose by myself.

* * *

"Hey, little taichou," Luppi smirked, "Don't get all sure of yourself just because you managed to kill Qufang. He wasn't that strong to start with."

"That's what I thought," Hitsugaya answered, "But I'm not going to underestimate either of you two."

"You'd better not, unless you want to die, kid," Yammy snorted.

"Shut up," Luppi snapped, facing his partner. "It's not like you can fight anyways. You lost both of your arms in that mission you were sent on in the real world. Let me take care of this kid myself. I can kill him easily."

"Luppi, you freakin' idiot, I can handle him fine on my own. I know exactly what I'm doing, so don't you try to interrupt me."

"Fine," Luppi scoffed, "Do whatever you want."

"Gladly!"

There was a brief pause before Yammy opened his mouth with a grin, a red orb of spiritual energy swelling inside his gaping mouth. "I'll blow that brat into ashes!" he laughed as he released the cero.

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed, before he dodged the blast, using shunpo to relocate himself by Yammy's side, slamming his katana downwards.

Yammy barely managed to dodge the blow before another came towards his left. With an unpleasantly triumphant smirk, the Arrancar's arm shot out from under his garments where it had been hidden, blocking the sword from hitting his face.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened as he inhaled sharply, caught completely off guard as with another peal of laughter, the tenth Espada shoved the blade aside with all his strength, sending Hitsugaya slamming into the floor.

"Surprised, little captain?" Yammy sneered. "You thought my arms were gone, didn't you?"

"How did you…?"

"Let's just say that Aizen-sama's power can do lots more than you stupid shinigami expected!"

The next second later, his fist was glowing red, and Hitsugaya barely reacted quickly enough to throw himself out of harm's way.

"How d'ya like that, huh!?" Yammy cackled, raising his fist again and sending another burst of the crimson energy at the white-haired boy, who dodged again, a smoldering crater where he had been standing a fraction of a second earlier.

"That's not an ordinary cero," Hitsugaya muttered to himself. "What technique is that…?"

"Allow me to explain," the larger Arrancar laughed, "This move's called _bara_! It's basically like a weaker form of cero, but its speed is much higher! In other words, you may be fast, kid, but my bara's _even_ faster! I'm gonna blow you to smithereens!"

He let forth another barrage of bara, sending them straight towards Hitsugaya. The boy's eyes widened as he realized there was no way he could dodge at such a range. There was only one thing he could do.

"Bankai!"

There was a burst of icy reiatsu as Hyorinmaru's wings flexed into the air, ice flowing down the small captain's back and curling upwards in the dragon's tail. Three four-petaled lotus flowers of ice matching the katana's hilt appeared behind him.

The dragon's wings folded forward to shield its master from the bara that were headed their way. The bursts of energy collided directly with the ice. Gritting his teeth, Hitsugaya fought to maintain his balance, large cracks running through both wings.

"The hell's that?" Yammy grunted.

"This is my bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru," Hitsugaya explained. "Hyorinmaru directly manifests himself onto my body such that we fight as one."

Before Yammy could answer to this, Hitsugaya shunpo'd forward, bringing his blade downwards.

The blade met the side of the Arrancar's arm, who had lifted it to shield himself from the striking sword. "You see, brat?" Yammy snorted, "Arrancar like myself have been born with iron skin, and I've fortified it even more recently! There's no way you can cut me externally!"

"Externally, you say?"

"Yeah! Weren't you listening?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was."

Hitsugaya struck at Yammy again, this time, towards the throat.

"You brat, I've already told you that won't work!" his opponent laughed, reaching out and seizing the young captain by the leg, flipping him upside down with another laugh.

"Say goodbye, little taichou-san!" he cackled, dangling Hitsugaya high in the air with a manic grin plastered on his face. He opened his mouth again, forming another cero. "There's no getting away now!"

"Ryusenka!"

As the cero began to accumulate in his mouth, Hitsugaya, who was still suspended in midair, thrust his arm upwards and slammed Hyorinmaru into Yammy's mouth and down into his throat, ice crackling around the blade as he did so.

"I knew that wouldn't work. That's why I purposely forced you to counter and form another cero," Hitsugaya explained, leaping away as Yammy released him with a howl of pain. "You never said that I couldn't cut you _internally_."

"Y…You little…" Yammy hissed, clenching and unclenching his fists as blood poured from his lips and onto the floor. Before he could finish his sentence, his face suddenly began to turn a ghastly shade of blue.

The ice that was accumulating on the inside of his throat was still forming, hindering his ability to breathe, choking him.

There was a long silence as with a final, pitiful wheeze, Yammy pitched forward onto the ground, dead. Hitsugaya did not have to wait long for the ice to infest his entire corpse and turn him into an Arrancar popsicle before he shattered into icy dust, the shards scattering across the ground, clattering across the floor and being carried away by the wind.

"Now, you're the only one left," Hitsugaya spoke, turning to face Luppi.

"Are you sure you want to say that, little taichou-chan?" Luppi giggled. "If I were you, I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions."

"What do you mean?"

"Wouldn't you like to find out?" the feminine Arrancar smirked, his hand crawling downwards towards the pink sheath that held his zanpakuto. "Both Yammy and Qufang made the mistake of underestimating you, but I'm not as stupid as them." Beaming, he slowly drew the sword.

"Strangle him…Trepadora."

There was an explosion of smoke and reiatsu, and before Hitsugaya could comprehend what was going on, a long, thick tentacle nearly as wide as he was shot outwards, lashing itself around its body and constricting him so that even the strong ice of Daiguren Hyorinmaru was crushed and reduced to icy shards crumbling to the earth.

"Gotcha!" Luppi giggled as the smoke cleared. "That was too easy, wasn't it?"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened at the sight that was waiting to greet him.

What looked similar to a spider's thorax had affixed itself to his enemy's back, and like the said arachnid, he now sported eight thrashing appendages.

"L…Let go of me, you bastard…" Hitsugaya hissed, straining hard against the tentacle that was wound around his body, but to no avail. A second tentacle found its way forward, wrapping itself around his sword hand and twisting his wrist back, forcing him to let go of the katana.

As the sword clattered uselessly to the floor, Hitsugaya had already realized that he was absolutely trapped with no way of defending himself.

"You see?" his opponent sneered, drawing Hitsugaya forward with another laugh, "You should watch what you say. I'm not the only on left…You're up against eight now and you have nowhere to run, do you?"

"Shut up," the white-haired boy growled, continuing to squirm in his captor's grasp. In return, Luppi merely tightened his tentacle's hold around the young captain, coaxing a short and small gasp of pain from him.

"Man, you're a lucky little boy, aren't you?" the sixth Espada sing-songed. "Those are quite some eyes you've got there, huh? Skinny with a pretty little face…You're making me jealous. It's pissing me off. Maybe I should just kill you now…?"

Another tentacle moved forward, and with a flick of its tip, several long and lethal-looking spines now protruded from it.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened again, his breath catching in his throat.

"Or maybe not," Luppi finished, a smile on his face. "I'd rather take my time. Let's have a little fun, shall we, little juuban tai taichou?"


	19. Torn Thread

Author's Note: Whoo, finally, the long-awaited update, and the second-to-last chapter!

* * *

At the current moment, Matsumoto Rangiku was a very, very, very busy woman.

She was rushing around the office, dispatching groups here and there to provide aid to other divisions, trying to maintain the communications between the different units of the tenth divisions, sending out fresh hell butterflies whenever it was needed.

The office was in turmoil. Wounded shinigami were strewn across the floor as they awaited medical assistance. Every now and then, a group of fourth-division shinigami would come and take some of the wounded away for intensive treatment, while Matsumoto was doing her best with the others.

So far, she had lost communication with three units, and she suspected the worst.

In addition, the reiatsu in the vicinity of her captain had been so strong that the hell butterfly he had with him had easily been crushed, breaking off communication with the central office.

She was worried sick.

As Matsumoto turned from hell butterfly to hell butterfly, issuing orders she was attempting to multi-task by using healing kido to aid the injured. It wasn't working out very well.

That was when she heard the ear-splitting scream that seemed to shatter the already chaotic atmoshphere.

Her ash-colored eyes widened. She recognized that voice instantly.

"Taichou…!"

Hurriedly, the vice-captain of the tenth division seized Haineko from its perch on Hitsugaya's oak desk, fastening it to her waist.

"You!" she ordered, pointing at one of her subordinates.

"Hai, Matsumoto-fukutaichou!"

"Take over for me for a few minutes. I'm going to check on the taichou."

"Yes, ma'am!"

After delivering a few quick instructions, she was off, flinging the door open.

As she did so, she slammed right into an orange-haired shinigami who also seemed to be in a big hurry of sorts.

"Ichigo-kun!?" she spluttered. "What are you doing here!?"

"Rangiku-san! Thank god I've found you," the strawberry panted, out of breath as he completely ignored Matsumoto's question. "I've been running around for hours…Where's Toshiro?"

"I don't know," Matsumoto admitted. "I'm having a hard time pinpointing his reiatsu. The air is thick with so many other spiritual energies, and right now, taichou's is so thin I can barely feel it…"

"What do you mean? Are you saying that his reiatsu…Is getting weaker?"

She nodded.

"Then we've got to hurry!" Ichigo snapped, starting off in a dash. "We've got to find him!"

As they hurried along, Matsumoto was concentrating hard. She knew that Ichigo wasn't too hot with sensing reiatsu, so she led the way as she jumped from building to building, struggling to put an exact location on her captain's whereabouts. He was either concealing his reiatsu, or he was dying. She knew, with a swelling lump of dread in her throat, that it was most likely the latter.

Finally, she came to an abrupt stop, Ichigo halting behind her. Both of them peered over the edge of the roof.

Ichigo's eyes widened in horror at what he saw.

Hitsugaya was on the floor, bleeding badly, gasping for breath and fighting to maintain consciousness as he struggled to rise to his feet. His snowy white hair was damp with perspiration, and a thin line of blood ran downwards from his lips. His haori and kimono, too, were stained thouroughly with the scarlet liquid. Hyorinmaru was clutched tightly in his hand, and shards of ice scattered across the floor told the tale of a valiant struggle on his part.

An Arrancar was standing in front of him, grinning. Several of his many tentacles sported rows of deadly spikes, dripping with Hitsugaya's blood in such a way that Ichigo was resisting the urge to vomit.

"Hadn't had enough, eh, little taichou-san?" Luppi smirked, taking a step closer towards his hapless prey. "I'll admit I'm impressed, though. I'm surprised that you're still breathing. It's been a while since I've fought such a strong opponent," he sneered.

"Y…You son of a…"

"I'm afraid I tire of you, though. You were entertaining at first, but now, you're no more than a stubborn cockroach that refuses to die. I may as well kill you now and put you out of your misery."

One of the spined tentacles shot forward, heading straight for the defenseless boy.

Ichigo snapped out of his daze and sprang into action.

He leapt from the rooftop, planting himself between Hitsugaya and Luppi, jerking Zangetsu from his back and swiftly bringing the blade down.

A split second later, with a hiss, Luppi hastily withdrew his now severed tentacle.

"Who are you?" he demanded, glaring at Ichigo through malevolent violet irises. "Who do you think you are, interrupting me like that?"

"Kurosaki…? Why are you-"

"Toshiro, stay back."

"Why should I?" the wounded Hitsugaya demanded stubbornly as he managed to push himself to his feet. "What makes you think I need you to protect me?"

"You're hurt," the substitute shinigami insisted. "You're in no condition to fight."

"He's right, taichou!" Matsumoto agreed as she jumped down as well, landing in front of her captain. "I'll bring you back to the office and I'll have Unohana-taichou see to your injuries."

Without warning, three of Luppi's tentacles shot outwards at a terrifyingly rapid speed. One of them collided with Ichigo's body, slamming him against the wall of a building and pinning him there. Another wound itself around Matsumoto's body, and the third snaked swiftly around Hitsugaya's throat.

"What do you think you're doing, ignoring me like that?" Luppi hissed, his feminine features contorted into a malevolent, bloodthirsty sneer.

"What the hell's your problem!?" Ichigo snapped, trying uselessly to shove the tentacle that had him pinned to the wall away.

One of the tentacles tightened around Hitsugaya's throat, suspending him in the air, and choking feebly, the boy weakly pried at the appendage that was cutting off his breathing.

"Let go of him!" Ichigo screamed angrily, wriggling furiously. "You're going to strangle him!"

"You, woman," the sixth Espada demanded, turning to face Matsumoto. "Go back to your office or whatever and don't come back, or your captain dies. The orange-haired kid stays here, 'cause I want to kill him for interrupting my fight."

He loosened his hold on Matsumoto, and the woman looked fearfully from Ichigo, and then to her captain, who was fighting for breath, and losing.

"O-Okay," she stammered.

"Good girl," Luppi crooned as she released her. "Don't try anything funny, now, or I'll skewer the white-haired kid faster than you can blink."

Her eyes still full of fear and dread, Matsumoto reluctantly hurried away. She knew very well that the Arrancar had no intention on sparing her captain's life, but at least perhaps he would postpone it and give them time to think of an escape method.

"Now then," Luppi grinned, looking from Ichigo to Hitsugaya. "Which one of you dies first?"

"You said you'd let Toshiro go," Ichigo hissed through gritted teeth.

"No, I never said that," the feminine Arrancar retorted, "I just said I wouldn't kill him…yet. Since you seem to be so eager, you get to die first," he continued, throwing Hitsugaya to the floor.

"And you," he smirked, pinning the teal-eyed boy to the floor, "You get to sit back and enjoy the show. Your turn'll come next."

With a growl, Ichigo tried with all his strength to escape his captor, wriggling to and fro and kicking his legs around angrily. "Don't you dare," he growled through clenched teeth. "I'll kill you before you can do any of that!"

A second later, there was a flash of electrical blue light, and the tentacle binding the strawberry shriveled away, smoldering. Luppi's eyes narrowed before his violet irises shifted to look at Hitsugaya, who had just cast the kido spell.

"Why, you little brat," Luppi snarled, another tentacle curling around Hitsugaya's body. "On second thought, maybe I'll skewer you first like a little taichou-kabob. I'm sure Aizen-sama would be pleased if I brought back your head."

The tentacle holding Hitsugaya, too, was suddenly severed. Shocked, the feminine Arrancar spun around to glare at Ichigo, who since having been set free by the kido spell, had sliced the appendage's end off with Zangetsu.

"Oh, no, you don't," the strawberry announced. "You want Toshiro? Well, you'll have to go through _me_ first, whether you like it or not."


	20. Heart's Rain

Author's Note: Finally, the last chapter! I am also working on new projects, and I'll tell you a bit about them at the end of the chapter! I actually think that the ending of this fic was kind of weak, though...And sorry I haven't updated in such a long time! Since it's the summer now, I can probably write more frequently!

* * *

"Renji! Rukia! Kuchiki-taichou!"

Matsumoto burst into the sixth division office, looking quite distraught. As expected, she found both Byakuya and Renji inside, as well as Rukia. All three of them looked up to see her, staring frantically back at them with panicked ash-colored eyes.

"Rangiku-san?" Renji asked, "What's the matter? You look like a mess."

"T-Taichou…" the strawberry-blonde woman managed to splutter, "Taichou's in trouble! Please, you have to help them!"

"Them?" Byakuya repeated.

"Yes, taichou is with Kurosaki Ichigo-kun."

At these words, Rukia glanced at her adoptive brother. "Nii-sama!" she began, "Please give Renji permission to assist the tenth division!"

There was a long silence as Matsumoto waited, her heart pounding. Byakuya was not one who was easily convinced, and she wasn't sure at all if he would allow his assistant captain to help.

After this silence, the stoic captain of the sixth division finally nodded.

"Very well," he spoke, "I will accompany you, Renji, and Rukia, you come as well. I will inform Ukitake of this."

"H-Hai, nii-sama!" Rukia nodded eagerly, as she and Renji turned back to face Matsumoto. "Show us where they are, Rangiku-san!"

With that said, the four of them were off, heading towards the scene of the fight between Ichigo, Hitsugaya, and their Arrancar enemy as fast as they could.

At the moment, Ichigo and Hitsugaya were not doing well.

A few of Luppi's tentacles had been effectively severed, but although they were no longer capable of sprouting lethal spikes, they could still be moved and used for attack.

Ichigo could feel himself starting to wear out, and by the looks of it, Hitsugaya already seemed to be close to his limit.

The white-haired captain could barely stand any longer, and his grip on Hyorinmaru was painfully weak. His breathing came out in short, ragged gasps, and he was bleeding quite badly. His haori was even further stained than it had been before Ichigo had arrived, and the strawberry feared that he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

"Toshiro," he muttered under his breath, "Please hang in there…"

"This is getting boring," Luppi whined in a sing-song voice. "I'm about ready to finish things up now…Starting with little taichou-san here."

Panicking, Ichigo moved forward, trying to get to Hitsugaya. However, he found he couldn't move, as Luppi had instantly wound a tentacle around his legs.

"Let go!" Ichigo shouted furiously, trying with all his might to jerk free. He raised Zangetsu, planning to slice through his restraints. As he did, he suddenly felt his world being turned upside-down as the feminine Arrancar lifted him clear off the ground and dangled him upside down, causing him to drop his zanpaku-to to the floor, his heart sinking as it clattered uselessly to the side below him.

"Kuro…Kurosaki…"

"I said, I'm starting with taichou-san," Luppi scowled, "Don't be so impatient."

Before Ichigo could blink, Luppi had slammed Hitsugaya into the floor with one of his tentacles, and then a split second later, a second, spiked tentacle came down upon the defenseless boy.

The strawberry's eyes widened as the rows of spines pierced the young captain's body, blood spurting into the air like a fountain.

"T-Toshiro!"

As the Arrancar tore the spines from his body with the sickening sound of tearing flesh, Hitsugaya was left to lie motionless on the blood-stained floor. By this point, he was breathing heavily, and his eyes were squeezed shut with pain as he feebly wrapped his trembling arms around his bleeding stomach. Even more blood splattered across the floor as he choked pitifully.

"Hm, what a bother," Luppi sighed, "The kid's _still_ not dead. Ah, well, he'll be finished after this next hit," he added as he raised his tentacle again

"No!" Ichigo shouted desperately, thrashing around wildly. "Stop it, you octopus freak! Don't you dare touch him!"

"Your turn will come next," the sixth Espada giggled, "So do stop screaming, will you?"

The orange-haired substitute shinigami watched, his eyes wide with horror as Luppi sent his tentacle towards the helpless boy for the finishing blow.

A split second later, a cloud of familiar cherry blossom petals whizzed by Ichigo's face, slicing clean through the tentacle binding him, followed by a cloud of ash which shot between Luppi and Hitsugaya, stopping the Arrancar in his tracks.

"R-Rukia! Renji! Byakuya! Rangiku-san!" the incredulous strawberry spluttered as he turned to look at the four shinigami who had arrived on the scene.

"M-Matsumoto…" Hitsugaya whispered, "You…You came back…"

"Of course I did!" Matsumoto answered, "There's no way I'd abandon you here, taichou!" she said.

"Ichigo!" Renji shouted, "Take Hitsugaya-taichou somewhere safe! We'll take over from here!"

"Right," Ichigo muttered, hurrying to Hitsugaya's side, kneeling by the heavily injured captain, hoisting him into his arms before standing again.

"Leave this place quickly," Byakuya instructed.

"Y-Yeah!" the strawberry spluttered as he hurried off, Hitsugaya clutched in his arms.

"Kurosaki," he spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "I…I demand you put me down this instant…"

"It's alright, Toshiro," Ichigo answered firmly. "This time, you are _definitely_ in no condition to walk. Let's not argue about this for the hundredth time again, alright?"

"Then, please…let me tell you one more thing…B-Before I die…"

"You're not going to die!" Ichigo shouted angrily. "I'm taking you to the fourth division right now! I won't let you die, no matter what, so don't say things like that!"

"Kurosaki, I…"

"Don't talk right now, it'll make things worse, okay?"

Hitsugaya said nothing as he looked away, falling silent and grudgingly allowing the strawberry to carry him all the way to the fourth division barracks.

Ichigo shoved the heavy doors of the fourth division's clinic open, rushing in with the bleeding captain still clutched tightly in his arms. Isane, who had been hurrying by, let out a small gasp as she stopped dead in her tracks, rushing back towards Ichigo.

"H-Hitsugaya-taichou?" she squeaked. "How did this happen…?"

"No time to explain," Ichigo answered, "Just hurry and treat him!"

"H-Hai!" the fourth-division fukutaichou replied. "Section three!" she shouted, "Prepare a special barrier for Hitsugaya-taichou, and make sure that absolutely _no_ reiatsu can escape it! You two," she continued, pointing at a pair of bustling subordinates as the said shinigami scrambled to do as told, "Bring a stretcher! Take Hitsugaya-taichou to Section three, and Section four, prepare to initiate emergency treatment! He is in critical condition!"

As she shouted out the commands, the two shinigami from before scrambled forward with a stretcher and reluctantly, Ichigo slowly lowered Hitsugaya onto it. However, he was quite suprised to find Hitsugaya reached feebly outwards, grasping the strawberry's hand.

"Please, Kurosaki..." he rasped, "Please, don't leave..."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ichigo assured him, "I'll be right here next to you, alright?"

As the fourth-division shinigami made their way towards the area that their fukutaichou had indicated, Ichigo followed, his tight grip on Hitsugaya's hand not loosening the slightest as he moved with them.

"Kurosaki..."

"Yeah?"

"I..." Hitsugaya began uncertainly, interuppted by a harsh cough that caused Ichigo to wince, "I...I love you."

"Yeah," the strawberry answered quietly, giving his hand a squeeze. "I love you too...Toshiro."

"Kurosaki-kun," Isane urged, lightly touching the subsitute shinigami's shoulder, "Kurosaki-kun, I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to follow any further. I know you're concerned for Hitsugaya-taichou, but I promise you we'll do the best we can. Your strong reiatsu may disrupt our medical procedures."

"Got it," he answered, and reluctantly, he released the wounded captain's hand, letting it fall limply to the side.

"K-Kurosaki," Hitsugaya whispered, "Please..."

"Don't worry, Toshiro," Ichigo smiled, "I'll stay right here and wait for you, so you'd better get well quickly, you hear me?"

Even though the situation was dire, and even though, the medical team had taken Hitsugaya down another corridor and out of sight, and even though he was not allowed to follow, Ichigo had a strange feeling that...no, he was certain.

He was certain that Hitsugaya would be alright, and that he'd get better in no time.

Come what may, Ichigo thought, for all he cared, the world could end right now...But nothing mattered. He was content. Hitsugaya's words to him, although they had only been just three words...It was enough to soak his heart in relief and optimism, because he knew, no matter what happened, Hitsugaya Toshiro loved him, and he loved Hitsugaya Toshiro right back.

_The End._

* * *

Author's Note: Well, I suppose that's the end. In any case, though, I didn't really like the ending very much. What about you guys?

Anyways, as promised, I'm going to tell you about my next two fics that will be coming very soon!

**Jealousy:** In a fit of jealous rage, Kurosaki Ichigo, a servant in the palace of the kingdom of the Seireitei, somehow involves himself in a contest, and the prize is the hand in marriage of the beautiful crown prince, Hitsugaya Toshiro. But does Ichigo, a mere servant, really stand a chance against some of the most prestigious nobles in Soul Society? And even if he did win...Would the prince accept him? 5-Shot humorfic, IchiHitsu.

**Shattered Ice: **Hell-bent on revenge against the shinigami that foiled his invasion of the Seireitei and nearly killed him, Aizen Sosuke is willing to go to any lengths possible to ensure that his most hated enemy, Kurosaki Ichigo, meets a gruesome end...even if it means turning the one person who matters most to the subsitute shinigami, Hitsugaya Toshiro, against him. Sequel to _Smile_. IchiHitsu, KusaHitsu. (Title subject to change, and yes, Kusaka's coming back!)


End file.
